The Whole Package
by This Little Lady
Summary: Chapter 22! After many years living in NYC, Mimi decides to go back to Japan & live the life she chooses with her unborn child...until she crossed path with a certain Yamato Ishida & her past came clashing back on her. MIMATO! COMPLETED!
1. Default Chapter

Hi guys! This is my first ever Mimato Fic and I mostly based it on the novel that I've read called 'Twins Included'...I hope you guys like it as much as I did, oh, and don't forget to leave your reviews.

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or any of its characters.

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+**_THE WHOLE PACKAGE_**+

**_Chapter One_**+

"You're pregnant?"

Mimi Tachikawa felt a stab of apprehension as she saw angry crimson color mottle the face of the man seated across from her. "Yes, darling, I "

"Dammit, Mimi!" Michael lurched forward in his chair and punched a fist down on the surface of their elegant Horrocks & Vine patio table. "You know very well that I'm not ready to have kids."

A fragment of memory…from the past that Mimi had buried so carefully eight years before…suddenly broke free & surfaced, chilling her to the bone despite the sun beating down on their rooftop garden from a hazy New York sky.

_This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not again_.

"Michael," she said pleadingly. "It was an accident. I don't know how it happened." She tugged on her pink choker. "But now that I am pregnant, I'm going to have this baby!"

Michael shoved back his chair and swung to his feet, his expression grim. "There's no way I'm starting a family."

"But...we love each other."

"Right. And we've been in this relationship for almost five years. But you'll recall," he added tersely. "That before we moved in together, we agreed that it would just be the two of us. Just the _two_ of us, Mimi."

She stared at him, and it was like looking at a stranger. "Surely," she whispered, "you're not suggesting that I...that...I should choose." She couldn't even bring herself to say it and by the looks of it, it is what he was suggesting.

"The choice is yours." Stepping behind his chair, Michael fixed her with a hard implacable gaze. "You can have either me or this child, Mimi. You _can't_ have both."

* * *

Yamato Ishida flicked up his umbrella as he emerged from his Main Street law office, in the small town of Odaiba, Japan. Heavy rain had been pelting down all day and showed no signs of letting up.

He'd had a hectic week…and he rarely worked on Friday evenings but business is booming and the harder he worked, the more money he earned. _And it was money he could put to good use_, he reflected as he strode along the rain-splashed sidewalk toward the Pizza Place in the next block. The down payment for his new home had taken a huge chunk out of his savings…

A passing car suddenly veered too close to the gutter and splashed muddy water in his direction. His pants were soaked and he could feel the fabric stick up unpleasantly to his legs. He glowered through the lashing rain and caught a glimpse of the offending vehicle before it disappeared around the corner.

It was a midnight-blue Porsche. He knew that those types of cars are rarely seen in the city and most folks that drove those cars would be very rich.

He pressed his thumb against the top spring of his umbrella and shook it out as he walked into the Pizza Place. It wasn't a place he regularly visits…he didn't have to; Sora and his mother were forever bringing him casseroles or inviting him for meals.

But tonight, because Sora had taken the kids to a movie, and his mother had gone to visit his younger brother for the weekend, he was on his own.

And he was looking forward to having the house to himself. Stressed-out after his hectic week, he planned to take a long shower and change into dry clothes. Then he'd pour himself a beer and get a few slices of pizza and spend mindless hours flaked out in front of the TV.

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AN: So, how do you guys like it? I'd really appreciate it if you leave comments and reviews.

Chapter 2 will be up soon! lol


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for the reviews you gave, and I'm truly sorry for making slight mistakes. You have to remember that this is my first time to write a fictional story and I'm still working on it. There's always room for improvement right? Anyways, here's Chapter 2.

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Chapter Two**_

"Thank God, it's still here!" Despite her aching fatigue & her screaming muscles, Mimi managed a shaky smile as she dug up her old house key from among the clothes pegs stored in a wooden box by the back door of Laurel House.

Huddling under her hooded black slicker, she slipped the key into the lock & for a second, she met resistance…and then the door opened. She slumped weakly on the door heedless of the rain lashing down on her.

When she realized she was falling asleep where she stood, she jerked herself upright. She had to stay awake…at least till she had faced her father. She'd phone him a couple of days ago before setting off New York, but he hadn't picked up the phone.

"_Tachikawa Resident. Please leave a message after the beep!"_ The voice of her father was heard on the voice mail. She didn't leave a message. She just wanted to confirm that her father was still living at the family home.

Apparently he was…but this evening he was out. She'd stood at the front door for a good five minutes ringing the bell over & over again. Finally, she'd given up, but she didn't leave.

On her long trip, she had time to think. And she made some decisions. One was that she was going to stand up to her father. She wasn't going to let him intimidate her the way he had when she was a teenager.

She opened the door and stepped inside. _Nothing had changed_. That was her first thought. But after she'd taken a second look, she saw that some things indeed changed. The appliances she remembered were gold. The appliances she saw now were black. Gleaming black stove, dishwasher, fridge, microwave…

Yawning, she walked through the kitchen, out into the corridors and along to the foyer. The doors to all the rooms were open and she peeked in every one, but they were all empty. Yawning again, she turned away and ascended the stairs.

"Daddy?" She called out as she reached the top landing. Her voice echoed back. It had a hollow sound.

She checked his bedroom. He wasn't there, but everything seems to be in order just as she remembered it. She moved to her old bedroom ad was surprised, but pleased to see that there, too, nothing had changed. And never had the bed seemed more inviting.

Shrugging off her slicker, she tossed it over a chair. She would lie down and have a short nap. But she would leave the door open to make sure that when her father came home, she would be able to hear him.

* * *

She woke from a deep sleep to the sound of movement. The thud of footstep, someone going down the stairs.

She pushed herself up to a sitting position and felt her fingers tremble as she brushed her long sleep-mussed hair back. Her father was home. And she had to go down and face him.

The courage she' built up during her trip now threatened to leave her. Her father's rages…they had always terrified her. But she had to confront him sometime.

Swallowing her dread, she made a decision. And before she could change her mind, she walked out of her room, across the landing and then she descended the stairs.

* * *

Matt had just gulped a mouthful of beer from his can when he heard a sound behind him. Turning around, he spluttered when he saw the pale apparition standing unsteadily in the doorway…a tall, curvy figure with long, straight hair and a perfect oval face.

"What the…?" Wondering if he was dreaming, he stared incredulously. Then shaking his head, he looked again…it was still there…_she_ was still there.

And she was staring as if he, too, was a ghost. Her eyes were starkly wide, her lips parted in dismay, her oval face as pale as the crumpled ecru suit that hung so loosely on her thin body.

"There must be some explanation for this." He said.

"What," she asked in a voice as insubstantial as her appearance, "are you doing here?"

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AN: What do you guys think? I hope I didn't make as much mistakes as I did on the first one. Please leave your reviews. Thanks!

Chapter 3 will be up soon! lol


	3. Chapter 3

First of all, I'd like to thank the following people:

**Angel** - Thank you for giving your suggestions, I'm definitely going to keep that in mind. And about the Matt/Sora thing, you'll learn more about their relationship in the next couple of chapters. But there's nothing to worry about coz this is definitely a MIMATO fic.

**KoumiLoccness** - Thanks all the same...

**AngelicEyes** - Thanks for pointing out my mistakes. I really appreciate it!

Anyways, on with the story...

_**Chapter Three**_

She was real. No doubt about it. Ghosts didn't wear perfume and this one was wearing something that made him think of Pink roses. He stood up, putting his can of beer on the counter & settled his fists lightly on his hips.

"I'm here," he said in an amused tone, "because this is my home."

Her eyes, if that was possible, widened even further. "Since when?" she demanded.

"Since I bought it."

"You've bought it? Bought Laurel House? But you can't have! What happened to…?"

"The previous owner, Mr. Max Tachikawa?" he shrugged. "He'd been ill for a long time & he passed away a couple of months ago"

She made an odd sound, like the croak of a parched frog. Intrigued by her reaction, he kept talking & watched her with fast-growing curiosity.

"Shortly before that, he'd put the house for sale…it's quite lovely & it has the greatest view, so I bought it. The old guy had had a stroke several years back & he just couldn't keep up with his expenses so in the end, he was forced to sell..."

If she looked pale before, she looks paler now.

He walked over to her. "You need to sit down." He reached out a hand to take her arm in support, but she tried to twist away then his fingertips accidentally brushed her breasts before he cupped her elbow.

She wrenched herself free & stumbled back. "Don't touch me!" she glared at him. "Don't you dare touch me!"

Stunned by her reaction, he stepped back, his palms up. "Whoa! Hold on, lady. You've got the wrong idea. I'm not looking to ravish you."

Her eyes had become icy cold, but her cheeks were fiery red. "If you were, Yamato Ishida, it wouldn't be the first time."

Jolted more by the bitterness of her tone than the fact that she knew his name, he gaped at her. _Have they met somewhere before?_ He tried to see beyond the pale skin & the pale clothes & the long hair, to the person vibrating with such antagonism behind them.

And finally, just as he was about to give up, he recognized her.

"Good Lord." He felt his heart tremble. "It's Mimi." Emotion threatened to close his throat. "After all this time, I can't believe you've come back."

She had regained her composure. And she fixed him with a gaze so stony & cold it tore him apart. "Yes, it's me, Matt. I'm back and I'm here to stay. As to Laurel House being your home…"

At last he'd found his voice again. "You're welcome to stay here for as long as you want"

Her laugh was harsh. "Oh, I plan to. You see, Matt, this is rightfully my home, despite what my father & his lawyer may have led you to believe"

He was hardly listening to her. He could scarcely believe she'd come back after all these years. _Eight years_. Eight years during which he'd never managed to shake off the raking guilt & aching regrets…

"…so tomorrow," she was saying, "I'll go see my father's lawyer & I'll sort everything out."

With an effort, he focused on what she was saying. "Mr. Izumi's retired," he said.

"Who took over his practice?"

"I did. So whatever you decide to do, I'll be involved." Agitatedly, he raked a hand through his shower-damp hair. "Mimi, we have to talk. About…what happened eight years ago…"

"No." Her throat rippled convulsively.

"But Mimi-chan…"

"You have nothing to say to me that I would want to hear." She pointed out. "But I have two things to say to you and I want you to listen because I don't want to say them twice. The first thing is, don't call me 'Mimi-chan'. I'm no longer that innocent, naive teenager you knew. If you have to call me anything, call me Mimi, or Miss Tachikawa. I answer to both."

"And the second thing?" he asked.

Her lips tightened at the thought of what she's going to say next. "Don't ever," she said, "try to talk to me about the past."

No way. He wasn't about to go along with that. "But I want to… "

"You want to what? To say you're sorry?"

"I want you to know that afterward I tried to…"

"Afterward?" Her mocking tone made him wince. "Yamato, I have absolutely no interest in what happened afterward."

"But I…"

She stopped him by slashing a hand between them. "But what?" she asked fiercely. "Do you have anything to say that can change what happened in the past?"

She had broken his heart when she disappeared out of his life. But he knew that he must've broken her heart too. And while he deserved all the agony he'd suffered, she had not.

"No," he said warily. "No, I can't."

"Then please don't try." Her tone was crisp. "And please don't ever bring up the subject again. I've put the past behind me. And you," she said as she turned away & started toward the door, "would be wise to do the same."

He moved fast & got to the door before she did. Blocking her exit, he said, "Where are you going?"

"To bed."

"I'm not moving-out of this house. I paid good money for it & I have all the papers to prove it."

As soon as he'd spoken, he felt like a heel. Now that he was close to her, he realized she was even more fragile & vulnerable than she'd seemed. And here he was, confronting her like a school bully would challenge a weaker child. But Mimi Tachikawa was a fighter.

She looked up at him & in her beautiful honey-brown eyes he could have sworn he saw something spark in it.

"You're taller than me," she said standing as tall as her five-foot-nine can manage, "and as I recall, you used to be in this band until you quit so you can concentrate on more on your studies. And now, I guess you're pretty well known in this place. But you'd better start looking for another place to stay because I promise you, Yamato Ishida, I'm going to win back this house."

"Is that," he asked softly, "a declaration of war?"

"Oh, yes," she said in a tone that was equally soft…_as soft as steel_, he thought, _wrapped in a velvet glove! _..."a declaration of war is exactly what it is!"

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AN: Don't forget to review! Chapter 4 will soon be posted! lol 


	4. Chapter 4

This chapter tells a lot about Mimi's past.

**Hybrid Fairy - **I guess now you already know that you were right:)

**Hippie Pot Smoker - **thanks for the review. I really appreciate it!

**jack-e** - Yes, Mimi's still pregnant & Michael's completely out of her life. Sora will find out about Mimi in the next couple of chapters. There's a little bit of Tai in here somewhere, just a little tiny bit! Don't worry, you'll find out soon enough.

**KoumiLoccness** - I'm sorry, but I don't have any idea of what you're talking about.

**_Chapter Four_**

Mimi slept badly.

When she was a little girl, she & her father got along really well. He gave her everything she wanted. She had been 'Daddy's little girl' and everything was okay until her parents decided to get a divorce. Mimi took it really hard. She loved her mom & they were very close, and she hated her dad for letting her go.

Mimi's father was a very busy man. He barely has time for his family. Her mother always complained about it but her father wouldn't listen. They went on & on until her mom had enough. She made him choose between his work & his family.

**Flashback**

It was in the middle of the night when Mimi woke up to the sound of shouting voices. She knew that her parents would stop soon so she tried to go back to sleep, but they continued fighting. Rising up, she decided to go downstairs and see what was happening.

She was in the middle of the stairs when she heard the word she thought would never happen.

"Divorce? You want to get a divorce?" she heard her father say.

"I don't think I have much choice," her mother answered.

"Are you threatening me, Mina?"

"I don't want to live with a man who'd rather pick his job over his own family. You can have the house but I'm going to take Mimi…"

"No way! She's my daughter, too! I won't allow you to take her away from me."

"The nerve! You don't even spend any more time with her, Max. You might've given her everything she ever wanted, money, nice clothes, toys, every goddamn materialistic thing. But haven't you ever thought of giving her what she needed?"

"What do you mean? All I want is to give her a better life"

"Where were you when she had ballet & piano recitals? Where were you when she won the spelling contest? Where were you when she first sang in school? Where were you when she got a terrible fever? Work! You're always at work!" tears started flowing down her face. Her mother was always there for her...but never her dad.

Mimi didn't hear the rest of what they were saying because she quickly went back to her room…her face filled with tears.

Using his influence & money, Max Tachikawa took custody of Mimi & got the house…leaving his wife heart broken. Later on, Mimi heard that her mother went off to New York.

After the divorce, Max Tachikawa was never the same man. He became bitter, cross, strict, & over protective of his only daughter. Mimi knew that deep inside, her father still loved her mom & she hated him for letting her go.

**End of Flashback**

Later, as she stood under the hot spray of the shower, her thoughts slid inexorably to Matt. She'd been stunned to find him in the kitchen. Some time during the eight years she'd been away, she still…amazingly…find him attractive.

_'Pretty Boy'._ That's what his buddies had called him & he took the nickname with good humor. Since he was little, he would make sure that his hair was styled & neat. But now, it seems like he gave up on styling gel & just let his hair be.

His eyes…those dazzling blue eyes…always reminded her of the ocean. It was his best feature and every time she looks at him, it made her heart beat faster.

But he must never know it. And he must never know that she lied when she said she never thought about the past. Now that she was pregnant again, she thought about it all the time. Thought about him & the sweet love they shared, and the child they had so passionately, yet tenderly created together.

Stepping out of the shower, she reached for a towel & swiped it over the mirror. She stared at herself, & mused ironically, that Matt hadn't recognized her. She looked so colorless, she barely recognized herself! The girl he knew had been vibrant & pretty, with a healthy glow on her pretty face, & her hair dyed in Pink…she always loved that color.

She sighed as she blow-dried her…now natural brown hair. Right now, she & Matt have different lives. And she'd rather keep it that way.

Although Odaiba was a small town compared to New York City, it was big enough for the two of them because she had no intention of leaving. And once she ousted him from Laurel House, she would move-in & make it her home…and her new baby that was now the only important thing in her life.

* * *

"You, Miss Tachikawa, are one very careless driver!"

Seated alone at the kitchen table, Mimi was startled by the sound of Matt's voice as he came in through the back door. Putting down the mug of coffee, she dropped her hands to her lap, & hoped she looked calmer than she felt.

In the moments before he closed the door, a dash of morning air swept into the room, making her shiver. "Careless? Really?" she kept her tone casual. "Why would you think that?"

He scowled at her. "The Porsche at the back is yours?"

She nodded & quirked a quizzical eyebrow.

"Then you owe me."

"For what?"

For splashing mud all over my suit," he growled. "Last night, on Main Street"

"Oh, that was you!"

"You knew?" Indignation resonated in his voice. "But you didn't stop to apologize?"

"Sorry. I knew I splashed somebody…and if I'd known it was a lawyer…" she chuckled. "So…sue me!"

His scowl deepened. Before he could say anything, she added contritely, "Look, I really am sorry. A cat darted in front of the car & I have to swerve to avoid it. If I had time to think, I would of course have chosen to kill the cat rather than splatter your suit. What is it by the way…just as a matter of interest? Armani? Canali?"

He glared at her for a further moment…and then his laughter rolled out. "Armani, I guess."

She leaned back in her chair. "Whatever happened," she asked, "to the teenager who swore that he would never wear a suit, even if he is a lawyer?"

"What happened," he retorted, "was that I was just wearing that suit because I had to go to court with a client. I normally wear casual clothes to the office."

"You only wear a suit when you need to go to court." Mimi stated.

Matt nodded before asking, "So…did you sleep well?"

"Yes," she lied. "I'd been on the plane for hours & I had a long trip, so I was bushed. Besides, there's nothing to beat sleeping in one's own bed."

Reaching for the green & white hand towel that dangled from a hook on the wall by the door, he said on a teasing tone, "You think?"

She felt her cheeks go warm. The last thing she wanted was to get a conversation with this man about sleeping in any other bed than her own. "Yes."

"Ah, well," he drawled, "to his…or her…own." He rubbed the towel over his damp hair & then ran it over his neck & arms. Slinging it over his shoulder, he glanced at the carafe of coffee that she made earlier.

"Can I have some of that?" Without waiting for an answer, he poured himself a cup. Pulling out the chair across from her, he sat down. "So," he said, "you had a long trip. Where'd you come from?"

"New York."

"Ah, a city girl. So, city gal, how about filling me in on what you've been doing the past eight years? That's one expensive car you're running. You must either have a good job…or you married into money."

"Neither," she said. "I don't have a job & I don't have a husband."

Silence swelled between them, broken only by the hum of the refrigerator. He was the first to speak. "You're on your own?"

She hesitated. Eventually, he…and everybody in town…would learn that she was pregnant. But for the time being, she wanted to keep that secret to herself. "Yes," she said. Then to divert him she said, "I want to go & visit my father's grave. Is he at Odaiba cemetery?"

"No, they built a new cemetery six years ago….it's out past downtown, take the second exit…or is it the third?" He scratched a hand through his blonde hair. "I'll drive you"

"Thanks, but I'd like to drive myself. I'll just but a map."

"You didn't use to be so independent!" He said it without thinking, but when he saw a shadow darken her eyes, he could have kicked himself. If she was independent now, it was because she'd had to be. When she had most desperately needed support, she'd been let down by those she should have been able to depend on the most.

She pushed back her chair & got to her feet. "I _am_ independent, Matt." She spoke quietly. "And I cherish my independence. I've learned the hard way that the only person I can count on is myself."

He stood, too, all six-foot-three of him. Fisting his hands by his sides, he faced her steadily across the table. "You're wrong, Princess. If there's anything I can do for you, just say the word."

She looked at him for the longest time and then she said, with a twisted half smile, "There is one thing you can do for me, Matt."

"Sure," his heart leaped with anticipation. "What is it?"

"Please," she said, "don't call me 'princess'." And without another word, she flicked back her long, straight hair & walked out of the kitchen.

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AN: The next chapter will be scenes between Matt & Sora.

Don't forget to review! lol


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry if it took a while for me to update. Some of you wrote in your reviews that I have grammatical errors...Honestly, I'm not that good in English (hehehe!) and I'm doing my best to make it sound right...Sorry for that, no one's perfect you know.

**beth** - thanks! hope to hear from you more. **A Fire Inside** - cool name! I'm trying to describe everything so that you can understand better. I hope you keep on reading TWP despite my many errors. **KoumiLoccness** – Get a life! **Queen of the Sugarplum Fairies – **Hey! Thanks a bunch for reviewing my story. I know I made a lot of mistakes. Actually, most of my reviews point that out & I really am sorry. I was careless for not checking my spelling. Maybe you can help me out?

_**Chapter Five**_

Mimi bought a recently published map of the area in a nearby gas station. She asked the clerk to mark the location of the new cemetery, & thirty minutes after leaving the gas station, she was pulling the Porsche up in the parking lot of the Greenvale Burial Grounds.

* * *

"Way to go kid!"

"Thanks, Uncle Matt!"

"Well done, TJ!" Sora Takeneuchi gave her breathless six year old son a warm hug. "That was a great game & you were a star!"

"Where's Tom-Tom?" TJ took off his headgear goggles, which he was using as a headband, & sent a searching look for his younger brother.

"He's waiting for us on one of the picnic tables." Matt popped open the can of lemonade he was holding & gave it to the flushed youngster. "You ready for lunch?"

"Yeah!"

"Then let's get this show on the road!"

As the three some made their way from the soccer field to the adjoining park, TJ ran on ahead while Sora tucked her arm through Matt's.

"Too bad you couldn't have come to that movie with us last night," she said. "You'd really have enjoyed it."

"Yeah, but I didn't get out of the office till after seven. I don't remember when I was ever quite so busy."

They stopped by Matt's black Honda Civic, which was parked adjacent to the street, & he took out the picnic cooler from the trunk. Sora slammed the lid.

"I hope," she said as they headed into the park, "that you took time to eat dinner."

"I took home a pizza."

"There's lots of nourishment in a good pizza."

"I guess." What he didn't tell her was that he hadn't eaten one crumb of the pizza. By the time he & Mimi had finished talking…arguing…the last thing on his mind had been food. He knew he had to tell Sora that Mr. Tachikawa's daughter had turned up & moved back into her old home.

His home now, although she was, apparently, determined to battle him for it. He hadn't quite found the right moment to tell Sora of this new development, & he wasn't sure he knew why he was so reluctant to bring it up.

"Hey mom! Over here!" Tom-Tom waved at them from a picnic table. "Let's get that cooler open because I'm starving!"

"Hold your horses, young man!" Matt placed the cooler on the table, & the two boys immediately set themselves to uncovering it.

Matt helped Sora to her seat, but as he sat down beside her, his eyes were on the two little brown haired boys kneeling on the bench at the other side of the table.

He made a point of spending as much time as he could with them after they lost their dad. And with Sora too. Before Taichi died, he asked Matt to take care of her after he'd gone. And that promise he made to his longtime best friend was sacred to him.

After they were finished, they packed up & the two boys ran over to the swings by the nearby tennis court. Matt & Sora walked back to his car, & as he put the cooler in the trunk, she said, "I'm going to the ladies room. Be right back!"

Leaning against the side of his car, he watched the boys swing high. After a couple of minutes, they jumped off, & they ran back to the Honda. As the boys got in, Matt saw Sora come running toward him, the sun dancing in her short auburn hair.

She'd lost a lot of weight in the months following Tai's death, but now, he noticed how nicely she was filling out her t-shirt again & how attractively her denim skirt lay over her trim hips.

When she came to a breathless stop beside him, he smiled. "You've put on a bit of weight. It suits you."

"If I keep eating the way I've been doing lately, I'll soon be 'deliciously sexy' again!"

Matt laughed with her as they recalled the teasing words Tai had always used to describe his wife's curves.

"Yeah," he said. "Tai would be pleased."

She put a hand on his arm & looked up at him. "I don't know if I'd have survived if it hadn't been for you."

"It works both ways, sweetie. I miss Tai, too." He put an arm around her, & as he embraced her, he inhaled her floral scent, which was familiar to him now as the feel of her soft body in his arms. He had comforted her as she had comforted him…so many times...but never in a sexual way. Nor was there anything sexual in their embrace now.

"Come on you guys!" TJ said. "Tom-Tom's gonna be late on his chess lesson!"

Once Matt had seated Sora in the car, he walked around to his own side but before he opened his door, he saw a midnight-blue Porsche across the street. The driver was Mimi.

Their eyes met. Her expression startled. And that was all he had time to see before she rammed her foot on the accelerator & drove away.

* * *

Mimi's thoughts were in turmoil as she drove home. She could have kicked herself for pausing at the park. She'd been passing by when she saw Matt leaning on his car...alone...and she on an impulse…slowed down her car.

It had occurred to her that she might join him. She had some questions she wanted to ask him about her father. Then two boys ran up to him & went in his car. After a while, a woman came up. It was immediately obvious that they were in a relationship.

Knowing she should move on but unable to drag her gaze away, Mimi felt a heavy ache in her heart. She had assumed that Matt lived alone...but he wasn't unattached. She herself had nothing to do with him...yet, why did seeing him with another woman upset her so?

She was about to drive on when he spotted her. Their eyes had locked, & even from the distance, she had been surprised by his look. She only hoped he hadn't seen her distress.

It was going to be intolerable living at Laurel House with him. Even if he & that woman aren't living together, she would surely be a frequent visitor.

And Mimi knew she couldn't bear to see them together. Just the sight of him with another woman in his arms had torn every old scar in her heart. And she knew, with a sinking feeling of despair, that even after all these years; Yamato Ishida still had the power to hurt her.

* * *

Matt didn't come home that night till well after nine. Mimi was upstairs in her study room. She spent the evening sorting out old files & school papers. The task had kept her busy; had kept her from thinking about Matt, & she succeeded…till she tugged the faded liner from the bottom drawer & found a scrap of paper that had been tucked underneath.

On the paper she saw the words she'd printed there the day she realized she was pregnant with Matt's baby:

_Mimi Ishida_

_Mrs. Mimi Ishida_

_Mr. & Mrs. Yamato Ishida_

As she looked at the words now, a torrent of memories brought tears to her eyes. She had been so naively trusting, so sure that Matt would marry her…instead, he let her down. But his failure to stand by her hadn't dimmed the joy & wonder she felt at the prospect of becoming a mother.

And this time around, her wonder & joy were just as intent. Sometimes, though, she worried in case anything went wrong with her pregnancy. And sometimes she felt overwhelmed by the responsibility of being a single mom.

But over & above her anxieties was an unwavering determination to be the best parent she could possibly be. More than anything, a baby needed love and she already loved this child more than words could express

A light double tap on the door made her jump. Automatically, she crushed the scrap of paper into a ball & threw it at the garbage can.

"Meems?" Matt's voice was tired. "May I come in?"

She sat frozen, not answering, her heart beating wildly.

"Mimi?" This time his voice had a hard edge. "I need to talk to you. I'm coming in now."

* * *

AN: I think it's time that I put a cliffy…hehehe! I do hope you guys will keep on reading. Chapter 6 will be posted soon!

Please R&R! lol


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks again for the wonderful reviews you guys have given. This chapter is the continuation of the previous one...Don't worry, it's not that bad. It's just a confrontation scene between our favorite couple, Matt & Mimi. I hope you like it!

**Hybrid Fairy -** thanks for the positive review. I'm glad you liked it! You really made my day! **K14princess-ROCK **- you've got a really cool name there! Thanks for the review. I hope you keep on reading. **A Fire Inside** - it's pretty hard to change & re-write this story again, but I'll keep your advice & work on my stuff. Thanks a bunch! **jack-e **-you'll find out more about Matt & Mimi's past in the next chapters. It's like, in every chapter, you get to learn something new so you better stick around! lol

_**Chapter Six**_

Matt pushed the door open. He saw Mimi scrambling up from her chair.

"You can't come bursting in here anytime you want!" She said. "Please respect my right to some privacy."

"Meems," he moved forward but stopped a few feet away from her. With a pleading gesture, he said, "I'm not your enemy. You seem to think of me as some kind of threat..."

"You're wrong, Matt. I don't think of you at all."

He sighed. This conversation was going nowhere near the direction he wanted it to.

He started again. "All I wanted to ask was...did you find the cemetery?"

"Yes."

"And your father's grave?"

"Yes."

"I know," he said, "it must've been tough..." To his dismay, he saw a mist of tears in her eyes. Tears which she quickly blinked away.

"What was tough," she said levelly, "was finding out from the caretaker that before my father died, he was...incarcerated (for heaven's sake!)...in Brickstone Nursing Home."

"Incarcerated...that's kind of harsh, Mimi."

"Harsh? I don't think so! As I recall, the only people who ended up at Brickstone were people who couldn't afford anything better." She placed her hands on her waist, her expression in distress. "I don't understand how my father ended up there when he had tons of money."

"Most of it was apparently invested in the stock market & a few years after you left, he lost all of it. It was the reason of his storke."

She swallowed hard & her voice became shaky as she asked, "How did he cope...after his stroke?"

He knew she was finding this conversation difficult, but there's no way he could make it any easier for her. "Ha had to have a round-the-clock attendant."

"Where did he get the money for that?"

"He decided to mortage the house. In the end, he had to put the place up for sale to pay his debts. The day before I put in my offer, he had another stroke. And then a few weeks later, he had his fatal heart attack..."

"How sad to end up like that. With no family around & in a place like Brickstone. I should have come home years ago." Mimi hid her face in her hands & started to cry.

He couldn't bear to see her so distressed. With a groan, he closed the space between them & drew her tenderly into his arms. "I knew this would be tough for you," he murmured into her ear. "That's why I wanted to come along. But you didn't want me around. You wanted no part of me."

She felt so fragile, he was afraid she might snap in his embrace. Anguish twisted his heart. She had once been his and through a moment of stupidity & immaturity, he had lost her. He looked down on her as she leaned against him, weeping gently. And he felt a ray of hope.

She wasted no time in telling him she was independent, but...was she really so independent? She wasn't fighting him now, was she? Maybe this would be an opportunity for him to make amends.

"Mimi, please let me help you," he begged. "I'd do anything to..."

She quickly jerked away from him, & with a hiccuping sob, glared at him through eyes that shone with tears. "I don't need help." She dashed aa hand over her eyes. "And if I did, you'd be the last person in the world I'd turn to. I can handle this on my own!"

Once again, she was a fighter. Mimi Tachikawa was no longer the easily intimidated, innocent girl she had been at eighteen; she was strong & she was determined. And she didn't need him in her life. He was going to have to accept that, but it wasn't going to be easy.

"Just tell me one more thing," she said in a softer tone, "about this house."

"Anything," Matt replied.

"My father was under pressure to sell."

"Yeah, he was..."

"So you got yourself a good deal? I mean, if he was under pressure..."

"What are you saying, Mimi?" But he knew damned well what she was saying. She was implying that he took advantage of an old man's desperate financial need.

"So, tell me," she said with an accusing look, "were you happy with the deal you made?"

He somehow managed to hide the anger he felt at her insinuating tone. "Happy?" He said with a careless shrug. "I wouldn't have used the word 'happy', but I was certainly more than satisfied."

"I bet!" Her scorn was blatant.

He wanted to get that contemptuous expression away. He burned to tell her exactly why he had bought Laurel House, but his pride wouldn't let him. And what did it matter anyway? In her eyes, he could never redeem himself for the mistakes he did to her eight years ago.

"Okay," he rubbed a hand wearily over his jaw. "I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing."

He left her standing there & he didn't look back.

* * *

Next day was sunny & very warm, and Mimi decided to attend the eleven o'clock service at the nearest church. But when she tried to start her car, she found she had carelessly let it run out of gas.

Even if she wanted to (which she didn't!), she couldn't have asked Matt to drop her off as she heard him leave the house an hour before. So she took off at a brisk pace & walked a couple of miles into town.

By the time she got to the church, it was five after eleven, & she heared the choirs singing. The music faded to an end as she pushed open the double doors, & in the bustle of movement as everyone sat down, she slipped unnoticed into one of the back pews.

**

* * *

**

"Matt, will you go to the basement & pick up the boys from Sunday school?" Sora adjusted the brim of her straw hat as she looked up at Matt. They were standing near the exit, jostled together by the jovial crowd making its way out to the street on this lovely sunny Sunday.

"You're not coming down?" he asked.

"No, I need to dash home to check on the roast. Will you pick up the boys & take them to my place?"

"Sure, no problem. But Sora..."

"Mmm?" She was impatient as a horse at the starting gate. "What is it, Matt? I really must go."

"Ok, honey, go ahead. But," he rested his hand on her shoulder, "I need to have a talk with you...today."

Her eyes took on a luminous glow. "My parents invited the boys to come over after lunch. We'll be on our own & we can talk privatey." She ran a hand down his striped silk tie. "Hurry home, Matt. I'll be waiting."

* * *

Mimi walked along Fourth Avenue, the echo of her steps made a rather lonely sound on the Sunday - quiet street. She slipped away before the choir sang the final song. She knew she'd have to face everyone eventually, but she decided to put it off another day.

She still felt drained afterher visit to the cemetery; & her confrontation with Matt last night didn't help. Nor had it helped when he pulled her into his arms.

For a moment, she swallowed herself the luxury of leaning on him. But when he offered, in that soothing sexy voice, to help her, to do anything...

His words had jerked her back into reality as surely as if he had slapped her face. She could not depend on this man and she should never forget it.

Picking up her pace, she was almost at the corner of the block when a sudden squeal of tires grabbed her attention. A red car had stopped in the road just ahead & was now backing up toward her.

When it stopped, she saw the driver was a woman...wearing a floral dress, a wide brimmed straw hat & sunglasses that hid her eyes.

"Mimi?" The car window was open & the woman's tone was high with astonishment. "Mimi Tachikawa? Is it really you?"

Mimi frowned. "I'm sorry but I don't..."

The stranger's laugh gurgled out. "Oh, Meems, it's me!" She took off her hat & sunglasses and tossed them onto the passenger seat. "There, is that better?" She ruffled a hand through her short auburn hair & poked her head out the window.

It was Sora Tekeneuchi. Mimi felt a surge of delight. She & Sora had been friends all the way up to school, until she was thirteen, at which time, Sora has to move away to a different town. She & sora had lost touch after that.

"Sora!" Leaning over, she brushed a kiss over her friend's warm cheek. "It's wonderful to see you again. How have you been? When did you come back to Odaiba? What are you doing now?"

"It's a long story. I'd love for us to get together & catch up on each other's news, but I don't have time right now. I'm on my way home to rescue a roast from the oven. I'm making a special lunch for my crew."

"Your crew?"

"I'm a widow with two little boys and," Sora's cheeks turned red, "there's a man in my life...you probably wouldn't know him." She didn't wait for Mimi to respond, but just barreled on. "Anyway, he & I have been seeing each other for a while now & we have an...understanding. And before very long, I expect..." she broke off with a vexed 'Tsk!' and gushed on, "Oh, I shouldn't have said that! Matt...Yamato Ishida, that's his name...probably wouldn't want me to be talking about it. You wouldn't say anything to a soul, will you?"

Mimi hoped she didn't look as numb as she felt. She somehow managed to say, "No, I won't say a word." _Sora & Matt._ Sora was the woman he'd been with at the park.

"Thanks, I really appreciate it!" Sora set her car in motion again & as she pulled away, she called back merrily, "Give me a call, Mimi! My number's in the phonebook. It's under Kamiya, my married name. Sora Kamiya. We'll have coffee together soon ok...and by then I should have some lovely news to share with you!"

* * *

AN: I was planning to make Sora & Mimi's meeting a cliffy to have a little bit of suspense, but I thought better, so I included it here coz some of you were dying to know what Sora's reaction will be if she saw Mimi...But she still doesn't know that Mimi's staying over at Matt's house, so you guys better watch out for it coz it's coming up in chapter 7.

Don't forget to leave a review! lol :)


	7. Chapter 7

Hi, guys! Sorry for not updating sooner...I've been busy writing chapters on my notebook...You see, first, I have to write it in my notebook, after that I have to type it in my computer...Sigh…And then I have to re-type the first five chapters & upload them again…Anyways, I was hoping to get more than 20 reviews before I put up the next chapter, and since you all have been so good sharing your thoughts, I'm giving you chapter 7!

_**Chapter Seven**_

Matt took off his suit jacket & slung it over on one of the chairs arranged on Sora's front porch. Then tugging the top button of his dress shirt, he loosened the knot of his tie as he followed the boys into the house.

TJ & Tom-Tom ran upstairs to change out of their best clothes while Matt went looking for Sora. He followed the aroma of roasting beef & found her in the kitchen pouring gravy into a bowl.

"Hi," he said. "We're back!"

She turned around & he saw that her cheek was flushed from the heat of the oven. She set the gravy down on the table & said, "You'll never guess what happened on my way home!"

"You got a ticket for speeding?" he teased.

"If I did, it wouldn't be the first. Anyway, I was driving along Fourth Avenue when I spotted a friend I hadn't seen in...probably thirteen years! She had changed a bit, but I knew her by the way she walked...that hadn't changed. And her legs, of course! Mimi Tachikawa always did have the most fabulous legs! Anyway," she said beaming at him, "you'll meet her because..."

"I've met her, Sora."

Sora did a double take. "You have? But...where?"

He should have told her yesterday when he had the opportunity. They had been together all day with the boys.

"Matt? Do you know Mimi Tachikawa?"

"Sora, that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

Her brow wrinkled & she looked at him like she didn't quite understand what he was saying.

"At the church," he reminded her. "When I told you I needed to talk to you? It was about..."

"About Mimi."

He couldn't understand why she suddenly looked so disappointed. What had she thought he wanted to tell her?

"She turned up at Laurel House on Friday night. She didn't know her father died...didn't know he sold the family home."

"Oh my! What a dreadful shock she must've had when you told her. So, is she here on holiday? And where is she staying? Did she book in at a hotel?"

"I believe she's staying here permanently. No, she's not booked in a hotel; she's staying at Laurel House."

"What?" Sora's eyes grew wide.

"She's there...with me...for the mean time until we sort things out."

"What things?"

"She says she has papers to prove that her father had no right to sell the property without her consent."

"But everything was legal, wasn't it? You're a lawyer. You should have checked everything out..."

"Oh, it's legal all right. No questions about that."

"Then...she'll have to leave. Find another place to stay."

"It's not all that simple, Sora..." Matt broke off as he heard the boys running down the stairs. He put a hand on Sora's shoulder. "Let's leave it for now. We'll talk some more after lunch."

**

* * *

**

Mimi had always loved Laurel House. She knew it was mostly because of the memories it held when she was a little girl...when everything was still complete.

Now, on this Sunday afternoon, knowing Matt wouldn't be back for a while, Mimi decided to look around the place...not that she wanted to poke around Matt's things; she just wanted to reacquaint herself with her old home.

On the night of her arrival, she noticed the new appliances in the kitchen; & in the morning, she saw that the cupboards were new, too. But apart from that, everything seemed the way she remembered it.

Upstairs, she found the first of the two guest rooms had obviously been refurnished with a king-size oak bedroom suite, cobalt-blue drapes, and blue-&-cream striped duvet. From there she moved on to the other guest room, where she found that the bed was draped with sheets, the floorboards were bare, & the bay window was uncurtained. Three cans of paint were stacked by the closet, along with paintbrushes, a roller & a paint tray.

Matt, it seemed, was planning to redecorate. It hurt her to have an outsider brashly take possession of her home. And added to the hurt, was a spurt of anger. By rights, this house didn't even belong to Matt. She marched into her own bedroom & irritably gathered up a pile of clothing that needed to be washed.

The laundry room was in the basement & she found it just as tidy as the rest of the house. The white-tiled floor was spotless, the washer & dryer gleamed, and a pile of folded but unironed clothes sat on the ironing board. On a shelf above the ironing board was a box of Tide. Mimi moved over to get it, but when she glanced absently at the pile of clothing, she came to an abrupt halt.

And with lips compressed, she glared at the wispy lace bra snuggled up to a pair of navy cotton boxer shorts. It didn't take a genius to figure out what this meant. _Sora Takeneuchi has slept here...with Matt!_

**

* * *

**

Matt leaned against the veranda railing & looked down at Sora, who was lounging back on one of her Adirondack chairs. "You never mentioned," he said, "that you & Max Tachikawa's daughter had been childhood friends."

"It just never came up." Sora placed a hand over her eyes to block out the sun as she looked up at him. "After we moved to another town, she & I did keep in touch for a little while but our letters eventually dribbled off. It wasn't till after Tai & I settled back here that I really thought about her again. I did mean to get in touch once we were settled, but then I heard that after high school, her dad sent her off to some fancy college & she never came home again. Nobody seemed to know where she was...so I let it slide."

But Mimi's father didn't send Mimi off to college...he just came up with that story to protect the family name. The truth was, he sent her somewhere else, & though he refused to tell Matt where, he took a vicious delight in telling him why.

**Flashback**

"Did you think," Max Tachikawa had shouted at him on that black, never-to-be-forgotten autumn night, "that I should allow my daughter to let her pregnancy turn its course so she could give birth to a child by the likes of you? You think I'd have let you ruin her life...her future? She's a Tachikawa, boy, and you're a what? A nobody!"

**End of Flashback**

Matt would never forget the hatred in the man's eyes. Every time he thought about it, he feels like an old scar would open. Sora had been right, though; none of the town's folk knew where "the rich & lovely Tachikawa girl" had gone. And as far as he was aware, only six people knew of her pregnancy: Mimi, himself, his brother TK, his parents, & Mimi's father.

"Matt?" Sora prodded his ankle with the toe of her sandal. "What is it? What are you thinking?"

He dragged his thoughts to the present. "I knew her too, Sora. I knew her years ago when she was eighteen."

"But…how? You would have been away at law school?"

"I came home in the summer break & I met her a few weeks before she graduated from high school. I think it was in early June. And we hung around together till I went back to law school in the fall."

"You & Mimi Tachikawa…dated?"

"Yeah."

"But…nobody has ever mentioned it…to me."

"Nobody knew, Sora. We had to keep it quiet & meet in secret because of her father. He didn't think I was good enough for his daughter."

For a minute or two, neither of them spoke.

Finally, Sora said, "If you let her stay at Laurel House, I'm afraid you're going to have your hands full."

"I'm not sure I know what you mean."

"I'm a nurse, Matt…or at least I was, and I know all the signs. I know that…look."

He stared at her & felt a growing sense of dread that chilled him. "Mimi…isn't ill, is she?"

Sora closed her eyes & leaned her head back against the slats of the chair. "No, she isn't ill, Matt…she's pregnant."

**

* * *

**

_PREGNANT!_ The word was still rolling around in Matt's head when he left Sora's place an hour later. _But maybe Sora made a mistake…is it?_ If Mimi's pregnant…what should he do?

By the time he got back to Laurel House, he decided to wait till Mimi opens up & gives him the information. He parked the car inside the garage & went in. By the time he walked into the foyer, he heard footsteps on the stairs. Mimi stopped on the last step & looked at him.

"Hi," he said observing her carefully. "How's it going?"

She was so thin with long arms & longer legs; he never realized how tall she was. She was wearing a pink silk blouse over a cream miniskirt.

He scrutinized her face, searching for whatever signs Sora had seen. Dammit, he didn't know what the first signs of pregnancy were!"

Mimi put a hand on the newel post & frowned at him. "What's the matter?" Her voice rang with challenge. "Why on earth are you staring at me like that?"

* * *

AN: I hope you guys were satisfied with this one. Sora found out that M&M used to date each other, and Matt found out that Mimi's pregnant…Tell me what you think so far.

**EUR3K4 – **Sora fancies Matt, but don't worry coz this totally a Mimato fic. **MaRoNcOoL – **I'm really glad that both you & your sister like my story. Keep R&R! **KoumiLoccness –** If you don't like Mimato, then why are you reading this fic! **Angel –** Glad to hear from you again! **Mimato fan **- You don't have to be afraid of anything. Everything will turn out the way it should be…oops! Did I just say that?...wink…hehe! **Gabumon7000** – Thanks for the review! Keep R&R!

Chapter 8 will be posted in a couple of days! lol


	8. Chapter 8

Thanks again for all those amazing reviews! By the way, I'm working on this new Mimato fic. It's gonna be called 'Project: Babysitting'…Hopefully, I'll be able to post the first chapter some time this week.

**MaRoNcOoL** – you'll learn more about M&M's baby on later chapters so just stick around. **beth –** glad to hear from you again! **Queenie** – thanks for offering to be my beta. Email me when you're not busy coz I have this new fic in process. **Hybrid Fairy** – I'm really glad you like my story. Keep R&R! **EUR3K4 **– I know I said that Tai has a small part in here, but what I really meant was that he was mentioned in this story as Sora's husband. **Angel –**I'm writing another Mimato fic. It's still on the works, though. You should check it out once it's done aight? **Xichiathik** – cool name! Thanks for the review. Keep R&R! (Do you understand Tagalog?)

_**

* * *

Chapter Eight **_

Matt saw, with a feeling of disappoint, that she was still quite upset because of what happened last night. Hoping to ease her out of it, he said softly, "I was just thinking that you really suit that color. What is it? Cherry Blossom Pink?"

"As I recall," she said dryly, "the store tag described it as Sunset Blush."

"Whatever, you look great in it. Elegant," he added with a grin, "as a pink flamingo."

"Thank you, I think." Although her cheeks turned two shades deeper than the color of her shirt, her eyes were cool.

"So," he said, "what have you been doing?"

"Just looking around." She smoothed a tidying hand down her hair; unnecessarily, since to him it looked perfect. "Getting the feel of things again."

There was a moments silence before Matt asked, "Would you like some lemonade?"

She hesitated for a moment & then, with a shrug in her voice, she said, "Sure."

In the kitchen, he took two cans of lemonade from the fridge, poured one into a glass & gave it to her. He leaned against the counter, taking a drink from his can, while she perched on the edge of the table.

"Where did you get to this morning?" he asked.

"I went to church."

"I didn't see you there."

"I was late so I took a seat at the back. I couldn't get the car started so I walked."

"And after?"

"I didn't hang around. I'm not quite ready to talk to people yet." She looked down at her glass & ran a slender fingertip over the rim. "Although I did have a word with an old friend on my way home. Sora Takeneuchi...No, I mean, Sora Kamiya. She said you were going to her place for lunch."

"She mentioned you guys met up." He looked again at her hair, which was full of bits of sunshine from the rays streaming in through the window. It used to be a little bit shorter...and pink; now it was in its natural color and fell straight to her breasts. He liked it better this way...except that it made him ache to run his hands through it, to feel the silky strands slide through his fingers...

"Sora told me she lost her husband. How long ago was that?" Mimi asked unaware of Matt's thoughts.

"Two & a half years ago. He had a terrible car accident. Sora was devastated..."Matt shook his head. "They were so right for each other. She took it really hard, and so did the kids. TJ & Tom-Tom loved their dad and Tai thought the world of them, too. His family was his life."

"Does Sora have a job?"

"No. She trained as a nurse, though, and worked full-time till the kids came along, then part-time after that. She's been planning to start full-time again once both boys were in school...but before that, Tai was killed. She went totally to pieces & hasn't worked at all since then."

He didn't tell Mimi that he wished Sora would go back to work. It wasn't because he minded being there for her, he didn't. What concerned him was that instead of becoming less dependent on him as time went by, Sora was becoming more & more clingy...more & more needy. But he promised Tai to look after her for as long as she needed him. And so he would.

"Mimi," he said, "I want to talk about you. Why did you come back here? Did things go...wrong...in New York?"

"Wrong? What do you mean?"

"You know...problems at work or with...a man?"

"That's my business, Matt. I'd prefer if you didn't pry into my affairs..."

"It's just that you're looking a bit...run-down."

"I was in a stressful job," she said. "I worked for the CEO of a major company. It was always busy, with long hours & constant deadlines. It took a lot out of me & I was getting burned out...that's why I decided to quit & come back here. Now that I'm home, I'll be fine. And since you're into making personal remarks," she added, "I think I should, too."

"Oh, please, I don't..."

"Do you still play?" She was referring to his guitar. Matt had it since he was fourteen & he loved writing songs. She remembered that he made a special song just for her.

"No, not anymore," he said.

"But I thought it was the most important thing in your life?"

"No..." he clenched his hand around the can & heard a faint creak as the tin gave way under pressure.

"You lost the touch?"

"No, Mimi, I didn't lose the touch. I can still play you know." There was a long pause before he continued, "What I lost was the heart."

**

* * *

**Mimi spent the rest of the day alone as Matt arranged to go out with his friends. Before heading off, he told her he would be late, so she cooked herself a light dinner around six & then watched TV for a while before tiredly going upstairs for bed. 

But once in bed, she couldn't sleep because she's been thinking about the conversation she & Matt had that afternoon. She tossed & turned, unable to forget the look that had been in his eyes & the sorrowful tone that had been in his voice when he said those six simple words. _What I lost was the heart._

**Flashback**

"You lost the touch?"

"No, Mimi, I didn't lose the touch. I can still play you know." There was a long pause before he continued, "What I lost was the heart."

For a few long moments she just stared at him. Then gathering herself together she asked flippantly, "Was it because of a woman?"

"Yeah," he said. "A woman."

Jealousy wasn't an admirable emotion, nor was it a comfortable one. Mimi struggled to fight it. "Was she pretty?"

"No...she was beautiful. To me, she was the most beautiful woman in the world."

"And you were in love with her?"

"Yes."

"How much?" Mimi didn't know why she asked that question; it just suddenly came out. Why? To torture herself?

He was smiling at her in a way that gave her goose bumps, but his eyes were serious. "How much?" he repeated. "More than I've ever loved anyone else. More than I ever will love anyone else. She didn't steal my heart...she was _my_ heart."

Mimi felt her eyes fill with tears & she turned away to hide it. But he must have spotted them because as she set her glass on the table, he said quietly, "Why are you crying?"

She blinked the tears away before she faced him again. "I just feel sorry for you. It must have been hard loosing a person you love so much. Was it a long time ago?"

"Years ago."

"So...you're over her now?

"No, I'm not over her. I doubt I ever will be. She was the only one for me."

**End of Flashback**

Mimi heard a whimper. But even as the sound jolted her, she realized she wasn't in the kitchen talking to Matt, but in her bed alone. And at the same time, she realized she had to get up.

One of the joys of pregnancy, she reflected as she pushed aside the covers, was the frequent need to go to the bathroom...and it was a need that disturbed most of her nights.

* * *

AN: So tell me what do you think? Now you know that Matt _still_ loves Mimi, eh...Anyways, it'll take a while for chapter 9 to be posted coz I have to find my notebook first...yeah, the one I use to write my story...I'm not quite sure what happened, but somehow it got misplaced & I don't know where to find it...Don't worry! I know it's here somewhere & hopefully, I'll find it. 

Don't forget to review! lol


	9. Chapter 9

Hi guys! I'm so sorry for not updating sooner. As most of you know, I lost my notebook...but now, I found it! Yay! I'm going to make sure that nothing happens to it again so I can update this story regularly. And since I didn't update for a while, I'm going to give you a treat & make this chapter longer! Isn't that great! As for my other story, Project: Babysitting, I'll still be updating it every now & then. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

_Previously on Chapter 8:_

"So…you're over her now?"

"No, I'm not over her. I doubt I ever will be. She was the only one for me."

Mimi heard a whimper. But even as the sound jolted her, she realized she wasn't in the kitchen talking to Matt, but in her bed…alone. And at the same time, she realized she had to get up.

One of the joys of pregnancy, she reflected as she pushed aside the covers, was this frequent need to go to the bathroom…and it was a need that disturbed most of her nights.

_**Chapter Nine**_

Switching on the bedside lamp, she glanced at the clock radio on the night table. Two o'clock! And she hadn't slept a wink. She padded across the room & after opening the door very quietly, she crept along the corridor to the bathroom. But when she tried to turn the knob, she found it was locked. She would have to go downstairs to the powder room. She was about to turn away when the door opened suddenly.

"Sorry," Matt said. "You need to use it?"

In the bright light from the corridor she could see that his hair was wet. She could also see he was wearing nothing but a navy blue towel wrapped precariously around his hips. His chest was damp & a single drop of water ran down on his left arm.

"Are you in the shower?" she asked & wished she'd taken a moment to put on her robe. Her pink silk nightie was skimpy as a handkerchief & covered about as much.

"Yeah," he said. "I took a cold one."

"A cold one?"

"It's hot tonight. Or didn't you notice? I couldn't sleep so I took a shower to cool off. But seeing you in that sexy next-to-nothing slip," he went on straight-faced, "I may have to take another one!"

"Don't be a smart ass!" she shot back. "Now, if you'll let me past I'll…"

He caught her arm as tried to slide by him. His fingers were cool on her heated skin.

"How come you're up so late?" he asked. "Are you okay? I thought I heard you moving a couple of times before."

She couldn't be sure how much Matt knew about minor inconveniences of pregnancy, but she wasn't about to give him any clues of her condition.

"I'm a night wanderer," she said vaguely, shrugging off his hand. "It's a habit I picked up in New York."

"Ah, New York." He leaned back against the doorjamb. "I've never been to the Big Apple. Since neither of us can sleep, why don't we take a stroll in the moonlight & you can tell me all about life in the big city. We could bring a bottle of wine…"

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why, you don't like wine?"

She enjoyed an occasional glass of Chardonnay wine…but she couldn't tell him that because of her pregnancy, she didn't drink wine. Maybe he knew that expectant should abstain from alcohol, maybe he didn't. But she didn't want him putting two & two together & figure out that she is pregnant.

"Oh, sure, I enjoy wine, but not at this time of night. Actually," she faked a wide yawn, "…I'm feeling a bit sleepy now. I think if I get back to bed, I'll drop off soon. Do you mind…?"

He pushed himself from the doorjamb & waved her forward into the bathroom. "No," he said, "you go ahead. But remember, anytime you fancy a walk in the moonlight & want company…my offer is open."

And that was one offer; she decided as she locked the bathroom door, that she'd be very wise to forget.

**

* * *

**

Matt made a practice of going in to the office early, & especially on summer mornings, when he enjoyed the quietness of the street & the dewy scents of the early morning air. But on this Monday morning, he barely noticed his surroundings. He was too engrossed in thought of Mimi.

He hadn't been lying when he told her he ought to have a second cold shower after seeing her in that skimpy pink nightie. He _had_ been lying, though, when he told her he had taken the first shower to cool off from the hot summer night. He'd really taken it because he couldn't sleep for thinking about her…torturing himself with memories of how it had been between them, memories of the passion they shared, & memories of her smooth, slim body entwined with his.

But if she was pregnant, her body wouldn't be slim for too much longer. She would put on weight and she would grow heavy & awkward. And she would need help.

If only, he mused as he walked into his office, she were as clingy as Sora had become, & if only Sora were as independent as Mimi. His life would be so much easier.

"Good morning, Mr. Ishida."

"Good morning, Yolei." He threw his receptionist an appreciative smile as he came alongside her desk. Yolei also liked to get a head start on the day. But unlike him, she made a point of always leaving work at four-thirty sharp, & he had no problems with that. She has a family to attend to & her home schedule was hectic.

He knew all about her family life because she lives next door to Sora & the two were close friends.

"Did you have a good weekend?" he asked, looking down at the message slips she handed him.

"We took the kids to the water-slide park. How about you?" her eyes had an expectant glitter. "I talked with Sora when she got home from church yesterday. She was rushing into the house to check the roast, but she was really excited. She said you were coming over for a special lunch?"

The eagerness in her eyes confused him. "Yeah," he said. "She made a lovely meal, best roast beef I've had in a while."

"And…?"

"And…what?"

"Well?" Yolei seemed to be bursting with excitement, but over what? Matt had no clue. Before he could ask, her phone rang.

She picked it up & was all business. After a brief conversation with the person on the other end of the line, she pressed the Hold button & said, "Its Des Nikata. He wants to talk to you about his rezoning application for the Asada property."

"Thanks, Yolei." Matt strode into his office & picked up his phone. Seconds later, he was deeply involved in a discussion with his client and had dismissed his receptionist's puzzling attitude & comments from his mind.

**

* * *

**

Mimi woke to the sound of loud screaming. She lay wide-eyed, heartbeats racing. Was someone committing murder? But even as she asked herself the question, she realized that what she was hearing was the sound of rock music.

She sat up & shoved back her hair. Glancing at the clock, she grimaced. Okay, so she slept in, but still…Yamato Ishida was the most inconsiderate man she'd ever met. He knew she had a restless night yet he was inflicting this nerve-rasping torture on her.

She got off the bed, put on her robe, & quickly marched out of the room. If playing that wild music was a ploy to get rid of her, he would have to try another tack.

The sound was coming from the empty guest room. She stamped across the lobby & through the doorway…and she stopped short.

A skinny, pony tailed painter wearing a baseball cap & paint-spattered white overalls was standing atop a ladder with his back to her. On the window seat lay the offending ghetto blaster, its stereo beat so loud it was like having rusty nails hammered in her ears.

She crossed the room & turned the stereo off. Then, fisting her hands on her hips, she turned to confront the painter…who had swiveled around; paintbrush poised in one hand, & was staring down at her with startled eyes.

Before Mimi could speak, he said, in a voice that was high with astonishment, "Who are you?" He gaped at Mimi, eyes widening as he scanned her sleep-mussed hair, her short robe, her long bare legs & her bare feet.

Mimi felt hackles rise at the man's blatant show of interest. She drew a deep breath preparing to fly at him…but the air was filled with the smell of paint & noxious fumes, and all of a sudden she felt dizzy. Fighting against a queasy feeling, she pressed a hand to her stomach.

"Please stop what you're doing," she ordered. "There's been a misunderstanding. Mr. Ishida had no right to order any work done here so I'd like you to pack up &…"

The room was spinning. She was going to be sick. She swung away toward the door & by the time she reached the bathroom, she was running. She made it to the toilet just in time & sinking to the floor; she grabbed the edge of the seat & started heaving. But her stomach was empty & nothing came up. She felt sweat bead her brow & her skin turn clammy…

And then she felt firm hands grasp her shoulders. "Hang on," the painter said. "You'll be okay."

Okay? She'd never be okay again. Last time, her morning sickness had passed after the first trimester, but so far this time it showed no signs of letting up. She felt as if she was dying! And she should have been _outraged_ that this stranger had followed her into the privacy of the bathroom…but, she admitted weakly, it did help to have his hands steadying her.

And several long minutes, the attack of nausea passed. She pushed herself up & the man stood back. She stumbled to the sink where she splashed icy water over her face. Then she reached blindly to the rail for a towel…but found one thrust into her hands. She wiped her face dry & then leaning shakily back against the sink, she opened her eyes.

The painter was looking at her, his smile sympathetic. "Feeling better now?" He took the towel from her & hang it over the rack. But Mimi's startled gaze was at the painter's face, taking in for the first time the slate-gray shadow that enhanced the blue eyes & the dark mascara coating the long, feathery lashes.

The painter, she realized, was a woman!

"Yes," she said stiffly. "I'm fine. Thank you for you're help but I'd appreciate it if you'd pack up your gear & leave."

The woman hooked her thumbs into the straps of her overalls. "I can't, I have to get this job through. Unless I hear otherwise…" her tone was amused, "from the owner."

She was irritating as a hangnail & Mimi scowled at her. Should she try & kick this woman out, bodily, from the house? The painter wasn't much _bigger _than he was…but she looked strong & tough. Besides, it wouldn't be wise to get into a brawl, not when she had the baby to consider.

The woman wasn't about to hang around waiting for a response. Throwing Mimi a friendly smile, she walked away & returned to the guest room. The loud music wailed through the house once more & Mimi pressed her hands to her ears as she hurried back to her room to look for the clothes she'd wear for her confrontation with "the owner"!

**

* * *

**

"How may I help you?" The receptionist ran an assessing gaze over Mimi's smart navy suit as she approached the desk.

Mimi looked around. To the right she saw a door with a brass plate bearing Matt's name. "I'd like to see Mar. Ishida, please."

"You don't have an appointment…"

"He'll see me. Just tell him Ms. Tachikawa is here."

"I'm afraid I can't do…"

Mimi started walking toward his door.

"Mr. Ishida," the receptionist called after her, "has gone out for lunch."

With a "Tsk!" of annoyance, Mimi turned. "Look," she said, "this can't wait. I need to see him now. Where can I find him? Which restaurant?"

The receptionist hesitated.

"It really is important," Mimi said.

Sighing, the woman sat back. "He went out for coffee & sandwich and he said he was going to eat lunch over in Moorel Park, since it was such a nice day."

"Thank you," Mimi said. "I appreciate your help."

Three minutes later, she was walking through the open gates of the riverside park. She spotted Matt right away. He was sitting sprawled out on a bench, his arms relaxed along the back of the bench, his long legs stretched out & crossed at the ankle, his face up to the sun, & his eyes closed against its brilliant noon-hour glare.

Her heartbeats staggered…but she did not. She marched toward him on the narrow path, her pumps clicking briskly on the sun baked cement. Matt paid no attention to the approaching sound. Only when she came to a stop in front of the bench, within kicking distance, did he lazily open one eye. His eyelids flickered, but it was the only sign she saw of his surprise.

"Why didn't you tell me," she snapped, "that you were having a work person in the house this morning?"

He grinned. "A work _person, _well, I guess that coming from a big city, you have to make sure you're politically correct. Here in this old town we…"

"I am not…" she bulldozed over top oh him, "here to talk about what is or is not politically correct. I'm here to talk about your painter & her ghetto blaster. I did _not_ appreciate being wakened up to the sound of wild screaming…"

"Ah, yes, rock music." Laughter bubbled in his voice. "You see, our _work person_ has taken a great delight in listening to rock music since she discovered…"

"She can discover herself in single malt whiskey for all I care!" Mimi tried to keep her cool, but he was really being impossible. "And she can drape herself in tartan & eat eggs till it's coming out of her ears...only, not in my house! I told her to leave, but she says she won't quit the job till she gets the order from the 'owner' himself. And I guess…" she stuck her hands on her hips, "the 'owner' would be you!"

He was laughing at her. Not out loud, but she could see the merriness in his eyes. He stood & she took a step back. Even in her heels, she felt tiny beside him…and vulnerable.

"We have to talk," he said. And now his face became serious. "But it's too hot out here. Let's go back to my office. It's air-conditioned."

She tried not to notice how snugly his white t-shirt stretched over his hard-muscled chest; & she tried even harder not to notice how shamefully her body was responding to his sexy scent. Feeling dizzy, she put a hand to her temple & began to sway.

Matt grabbed her arm. "Let's get you inside, out of this heat…& I'll fix you up with a nice cool drink."

Mimi didn't protest. She knew if he took his supporting hand away, she might fall to the ground like a pat of melted butter!

**

* * *

**

AN: So tell me, what do you think? I want to point out that the woman painter is not someone you should worry about. You'll find out more about her in the next couple of chapters. Anyways, will Matt finally figure out that Mimi is pregnant? Find out what happens in the next chapter.

Don't forget to review! lol


	10. Chapter 10

I'm pretty sure all of you will enjoy this one. It's got lot's of stuff, most of which would probably answer some of your questions…like M&M's baby. And we'll get to meet new characters, too! Have fun reading & don't forget to leave a review! lol

**Angel** – now that I have my notebook again, I promise to keep on typing. No, Mimi's not gonna tell him, but she won't deny it either. Actually, you'll find that out in this chapter! **A Fire Inside** – thanks! I totally agree with you, I think he/she is a wannabe. Hehe! **PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2** – you've got a really long name, but I like it anyway…hehe! I like Sakura & Syaoran too! Keep R&R!

_**Chapter Ten**_

Matt leaned his hip on the edge of his desk & watched narrowly as Mimi sat back in an armchair & sipped her iced tea. Seeing her in the park surprised him…especially because he'd been thinking about her & with such intensity he actually wondered, when she materialized in front of him, if he had conjured her up out of his own mind.

But no, it had been Mimi in the flesh. And she looked so sexy in that prim navy suit with her pretty hair tightly coiled up, he almost forgot to breath. She didn't know it, of course. He guessed her intention had been to present a proper image; what she _didn't _realize was that what she presented was a temptation…an irresistible temptation. What he ached to do was uncoil that silky topknot, unravel that glossy hair, and open each button of that suit jacket…

"You said we have to talk. What did you want to say?"

He wanted to say that he had a phone call half an hour ago from the painter work _person_…& the call had seemed to confirm what Sora told him yesterday. And he wanted to say that while he'd been sitting in the park, he came up with a plan.

But before he got to that, he first had to find out if Mimi really was pregnant. He was pretty sure she was, & he was going to call her on it…right now. Pushing himself from the desk, he stood straight.

"Mimi." He hoped to hell he was right, or he was going to appear like the biggest fool on the face of the earth. "I know you want to fight m for your family home & I can't stop you from doing that. It's your decision…"

"Well, thank you!" Her tone was sarcastic.

"…but I suggest you postpone taking any action…"

"No way," her eyes had taken on a steely determination. "I'm going to take action _now._"

"…for at least a few months until you're more able to cope. Court fights can be extremely stressful & you've already admitted you're burned out. I'd say you're on your way to cracking up. Take it easy, take a break…"

Her eyes flashed sparks & she opened her mouth to shout him down. He didn't give her a chance.

"…if not for your own sake," he finished steadily, "then do it for the sake of you unborn child."

**

* * *

**

Mimi stared disbelievingly at Matt. How on earth had he discovered she was pregnant? She leaned over & set her glass on the low coffee table in front of her, stealing a moment to steady herself. When she looked up again, her face was emotionless.

"My pregnancy," she said," has nothing to do with you." Old wounds, still painful, made her cruel. "_This time._"

She saw his Adam's apple jerk convulsively. "But this time," he said, "you want to keep the baby."

Her fingers trembled. She placed them together on her lap. "Of course I want to keep my baby. I don't know what you mean…what do you mean? What are you trying to say?"

He sighed. "I'm sorry, that was unfair." He crossed to the window & stood looking out, though he saw nothing of that would interest him. His eyes blurred as his mind got tangled up in anguished memories. "I know I let you down. I know that if I'd been the man I should have been, we'd have stood up together to your father when he forbade you to have my child, & you'd never have let him send you away or let him force you to have an…"

"What are you talking about?"

He turned around abruptly as he heard the grating edge to Mimi's voice.

She lurched to her feet & her eyes were filled with horror. "What are you saying, Matt? You think I didn't want our baby, you think I…"

He closed the space between them & grabbed her shoulders. "Mimi, you don't have to defend what you did. You don't have to explain why you…"

"Matt, my father didn't send me away. He wasn't going to let me go through with my pregnancy so I ran away. I would never have let anyone take our baby from me, I ran away because I so desperately wanted to keep it…but in the end," she said chokingly, "I _lost_ it anyway." She wrenched herself free & staggered back, coming up against the wall & staring at him as if she didn't even recognize him. "Are you telling me that all these years you thought I…"

"It was what your father told me." Stunned, Matt stared back at her. Was it really true? Had Max Tachikawa lied to him? But worse than that…if those had indeed been lies, he, Matt, had believed them.

"Mimi." He didn't know what to do, or what to say. He could hardly bear to look at her. Her eyes were swimming with tears…tears of incredulity, tears of hurt, tears of betrayal that tore his heart. "Oh, sweetheart, I…"

"I am not your _sweetheart_." Furiously she brushed away her tears with the back of her hands. "I'm nobody's sweetheart." She realized she was shouting. "Least of all, _yours_."

She spun away toward the door, but before she got there, she felt light-headed and saw gold stars suddenly dance & swim in the air in front of her. Dizzily she fumbled for the doorknob but before she could find it, a black curtain descended slowly over hr eyes. It was the last thing she was aware of before she fainted to the floor.

**

* * *

**

Matt prowled the waiting room at the Medical Center, occasionally pausing to stare at Dr. Joe's firmly closed door. Mimi had been in there for almost half an hour. What the devil was going on? And how much longer did the doctor need to find out what was wrong with her?

Fortunately, the clinic was located directly across the street from his own office & he lost no time in carrying Mimi across the way when she passed out. Feather light in his arms & limper than wet paper, she begun to come to wake up as they entered the clinic, & by the time they reached the reception desk, she was demanding to be put down.

He gave in, but he'd been mightily relieved when Dr. Joe had whisked Mimi straight into his office…where she'd been ever since. Matt turned to the receptionist, Kari Yagami, a pleasant girl he'd known since the day his little brother started going out with her.

"What the devil's going on in there?" he asked.

"Dr. Joe just wants to make sure." Kari tried to calm him with soothing words. "Ms. Tachikawa's in very good hands, Matt. she should be coming out any minute now."

And at that, the office door opened & Mimi appeared with Dr. Joe right behind her.

"Thank you, Dr. Joe," she said. "I'll see you again in two weeks."

"Make an appointment with Kari before you leave." The doctor adjusted his glasses. "Now remember, you must have lots of rest…a nap every afternoon & early to bed at night. And no housework, no gardening, no slaving over a hot stove! No exertion of any kind. Basically you're healthy enough, but you've let yourself get run-down & we have to build you up again."

_Mimi was going to be fine._ As Matt assimilated the great news, he felt his heart lighten. He watched Mimi move over to the desk and he noticed that her cheeks had more color & her eyes had a lovelier spark. _She must be happy that everything was okay._

And the baby's father…would he be happy, too, when she told him? Would she tell him…or had she cut the guy completely out of her life, in the same way as she had done to him? He wanted to know…but he didn't have the right to ask. He had no rights where Mimi Tachikawa was concerned. Any rights he once had was forfeited eight years ago.

"Matt."

He snapped out of his straying thoughts as the doctor called him. Dragging his gaze from Mimi, who was taking an appointment card from Kari, he said, "Yeah, Joe?"

"Mimi tells me she's staying at Laurel House. I'll be depending on you to look after her. Make sure that she does what she's told…"

"Oh, you can count on it! I'll drive her home & make sure she…"

Mimi appeared at his side & put a light hand on his forearm. "Let's discuss this outside." Her smile was honey sweet…on the surface. "Shall we?"

"Sure." He said easily. "Let's do that."

She thanked the doctor again & then led Matt out to the street.

Once on the sidewalk, he said, "Where's your car?"

"I walked. You may recall I ran out of gas and…"

"Oh, yeah, I was going to bring home a container of gas tonight &…"

"Thank you," she said, "for offering to drive me home. I'll take you up on that because I don't want to risk passing out on the road, which I might well do if I were to walk. But we'll stop at the gas station on the way & I'll but a can of gas for my car…"

"No."

"No?"

"No, Dr. Joe has put you in my care & if you need to go anywhere, I'll drive you. At least, for the next couple of weeks till you go back for your checkup."

She opened her mouth to protest, but when he said quietly, "Mimi, it would be best for the baby's sake."

He could see the frustration in her expression & knew how bad she felt by the limitations her condition had placed on her. But in the end, she said reluctantly, "You're probably right. Just for the next couple of weeks, though, & then I want to get around on my own."

"Agreed…if the doctor gives you his approval."

While they'd been talking, he led her to his car. He opened the door & helped her inside. As they made their way up the street, she said, "We have to talk…about the house."

"We will." He put his signal out & turned left at the end of the block. "I have to go back to the office till around four, but I'll be home as soon as I can get away. In the meantime, you'll follow the doctor's orders & take an afternoon nap. Take it easy & avoid stress." His eyes were on the road but he could feel her stiffen.

"I don't need you to give me advice, Matt."

He flicked a frowning glance her way. She was staring ahead & her profile was forbidding.

"You & I," he said, "and any differences we have or may have had…they're not important now. What's important in your baby. As I've said before, I'm not your enemy. I want only what's best for you. I'm not about to make you try & do things you'd rather not, and I'll try not to give you advice you don't want. But I do have a plan in mind, one I hope you'll find acceptable. I'll tell you what that plan is tonight."

"There's one thing," she said," that I want to settle right now."

"Sure, what is it?"

"That painter, the one who fancies herself as a rocker…"

"Yeah, what about her?"

They had reached the driveway leading up to Laurel House. As Matt slowed the car & coasted to a stop by the front steps of the house, Mimi turned to him.

"She has to go." Her eyes flashed. "Will you please find her & fire her?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw an overalled figure come out the front door. He hid a smile.

"There she is," he said, gesturing toward the woman who had paused at the top of the steps. He pushed open his door & strode around the Honda to open Mimi's door. He offered her a hand & though she allowed him to help her out, she slipped her fingers free as soon as she was upright.

He cupped her elbow & led her to the foot of the shallow steps, where he came to a stop. His smile was mischievous as his gaze flicked from one woman to the other. "I gather you two haven't been formally introduced."

"So do it!" Mimi hissed. "Tell her she's toast!"

"Elena," his tone held a ripple of amusement. "I'd like you to meet Max Tachikawa's daughter, Mimi Tachikawa. Mimi…" he turned to the woman standing rigidly by his side because not for anything in the world would he have missed the expression on her face when he completed the introduction, "I'd like you to meet my mother, Elena Takeshi Ishida."

**

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**

AN: I'm not quite sure if I wrote the maiden name of Matt's mom right. I know it starts with a "T" but I forgot what it was. I'm pretty bad at remembering other people's last names…like Jun, for example…hehe! I'd really appreciate it if you guys help me, again, with this one. Lol

Please review!


	11. Chapter 11

I want you guys to know that I just finished writing chapter 13 and I'm on my way to 14. I really don't know, it's either I have a lot of motivation going on or I'm just bored & writing this story is the only sensible thing I can do…hehe! I guess I'll pick the first choice…harhar! I'm on a roll here so expect to see one more chapter to be posted this week!

**A Fire Inside** – gotta love this person right here! I'm glad we're on the same side…lol **Koumi** – tell me, why do you even bother reading Mimato fics when you hate it so much huh? **PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2** – thanks so much! Matt still loves Mimi, and she will soon realize what she feels for him. Keep R&R!

_**Chapter Eleven**_

Mimi lay back in her bed savoring the cool sheets, the soft white pillows, & the shadowy darkness of the room. She felt oddly detached from the world…and cocooned. She could hear voices outside, followed by a slam of a car door, then the sound of an engine starting up.

Matt was going back to the office. The house was quiet. She wanted to sleep, but her mind was too busy processing everything that had happened since she first woke up that morning.

The rock music loving painter was Matt's mother. What a surprise that had been! And Mimi was well aware of how much fun Matt had got out of that situation, but not in any nasty way, just taking a delight of having been able to stick a pin in her pomposity.

As for Mrs. Ishida…she couldn't have been warmer & friendlier. She hadn't held a grudge…in fact; she'd gone as far as to chastise her son for what she called his juvenile sense of humor…

Mimi jumped as someone tapped her bedroom door. Swallowing, she pushed herself up on one elbow. "Who…is it?" she asked & held her breath.

The door opened tentatively. "It's just me…"

It was Matt's mother, & she was carrying a small tray with a steaming teapot, two cups, & a plate of cookies.

"I thought," Elena said with a smile as she padded across the room in her white socks, "that you might enjoy a cup of tea. You've had quite a day. Besides, I never did apologize for waking you up so rudely this morning!"

She set the tray on the night table & then saying, "Sit up, dear," she leaned behind Mimi, tugged up her pillows & tilted them against the headboard. "There now, lean back & make yourself comfy while I pour some tea. I hope," she added, "that you like peppermint flavor?"

"Thanks," she said, sinking weakly back against the pillows. "I thought you had left with Matt…I didn't see another car when we drove up earlier."

"I came by bike." She handed Mimi one of the cups. "I don't have a car." She offered the cookie plate but Mimi shook her head.

"No, thanks, Mrs. Ishida, I'm not really hungry."

"Call me Elena, dear. Everybody does." She put down the cookie plate & as she picked up her own cup, she said casually, "May I call you Mimi?"

"Of course." Mimi took in a deep breath. "I want to apologize," she said, "for my display of bad manners this morning. You must have thought I was a spoiled brat!"

"What I thought…" Elena's blue eyes twinkled, "was that my son had spent the night with a rather beautiful young woman, so I have to apologize, too…for thinking sinful thoughts! I was away for the weekend, you see, & hadn't talked to Matt since Friday. I had no idea you turned up & were staying here. And even if I had, I probably wouldn't have recognized you. It's been a long time."

"Yes, it has."

"Mimi…I want you to know that Matt told me, after you went upstairs to bed, about…what happened to you, after you left town eight years ago. I knew that you were pregnant…although my son didn't confide in me until a while later. I just want you to know how dreadfully sorry I am that you lost the baby. What a heartbreaking time that must have been for you."

At the compassion in Elena's voice, Mimi felt the start of tears. "Its over now," she said quietly. "And the doctors told me that what happened was for the best. But this time around, the baby's heartbeat is very strong according to Dr. Joe, so I have nothing to worry about. I just have to take it easy & try to build up a bit."

"How did you get along with Dr. Joe?"

"I liked him right away. He seems very competent.

"He is."

For a few minutes they sipped their tea in companionable silence, then Elena said, "Do you find it…difficult…to be here, in this house now that…Matt owns it?"

Since Matt's mother was being very open & honest with her, Mimi decided to be equally frank. "My father had no right to sell this place. And I do have some papers to prove it. So…to answer your question, I do find the present situation difficult…but I do intend to fight Matt for Laurel House."

Elena looked startled & Mimi realized that Matt didn't tell his mother anything of their conflict over the property. But all Elena said was, "Well, I'm sure you & Matt will sort it out between you, one way or the other. You're both matured adults. Now," she indicated the empty cup in Mimi's hand, "if you'll let me have that, I'll leave & let you have some sleep."

She set Mimi's cup with her own on the tray, & lifting the tray, she walked over to the door where she paused & turned. "By the way, Matt has told me to leave the painting for now. But I do come around every few days to tidy the place for Matt & do the laundry & stock up his fridge. So if there's anything you need, anything at all, just make a list & I'll be happy to attend to it for you."

"Elena, you don't have to…"

"No, I don't have to…but I want to. Now you lie back & try to sleep. Matt will be home before you know it."

**

* * *

**

Matt closed the front door, set his briefcase on the bench across from the hall closet & made his way to the stairs. Cocking his had to one side, he listened, but all he heard was silence. _Was Mimi asleep?_

With carefully quiet steps, he climbed the stairs & crossed the landing. Her bedroom door was open. Sunlight poured in through the open blinds & he saw that the room was empty. As he turned back, the bathroom door opened & she appeared. He saw her jump when she saw him.

"Sorry," he said quickly. "I didn't mean to frighten you. I just came to check if you were still asleep."

She was wearing a white shirt & taupe pedal pushers, and her hair skimmed over her shoulders in two braids. She looked like twenty…but for the wary look in her eyes, which today were more golden than brown, reflecting the light from her shirt.

"I was," she said as she walked toward him. "I must have slept for a couple of hours."

"How are you feeling?"

"Not ready to run a marathon, but I'm okay."

"Are you ready to come downstairs?"

"Mmm."

He followed her as she descended the staircase. She trailed her left hand on the banister for support & he noticed that she wore no wedding band on her ring finger.

"Have you ever been married?" The question popped out before he took time to think.

She stiffened slightly but kept moving. And she didn't answer till they both reached the bottom of the stairs. Then she turned & looked up at him.

"No," she said. "But I've been in love twice…with men who I believed…cared for me, too. But although they both wanted to have sex with me, & both pledge their undying love…" she shrugged. "When I needed them, they both left me hanging in the wind."

Matt flinched inside from the hard look in her eyes. He'd been desperately in love with her & had just as desperately wanted to marry her…once he had graduated, found a job & was able to support her. But he was just a third-year student when she told him she was pregnant, & as a result he'd been devastated. Frantic. Distraught. Panic-stricken. And he said all the wrong things.

She ran off, weeping. And by the time he got over his initial panic & came to his senses, it was too late. She disappeared.

Now she was back, & she was pregnant…again. And one thing his question had elicited was that she had loved the father of this child, too. But he also let her down.

"So this baby's father isn't going to be in the picture?" he asked.

"That's right, I'm on my own." _And it won't be the first time_.

"I want to talk about that," he said.

"I can't imagine what you could possibly say about my situation that would be of any interest to me!"

"Let's not argue about it right now. You shouldn't be standing around." he set his hand in the small of her back & steered her firmly across the foyer & into the sitting room. "I want you to rest on the patio, in the shade, while I make our dinner."

She came to a sudden halt. "I'm perfectly able to make my own din…"

He pressed a fingertip against her lips. "No slaving over a hot stove for you. Doctor's orders." Her full pink lips were soft & warm; he had to fight a sudden urge to run his fingers over the upper curve…

"You can cook?"

She reared her head back but just before she did, her lips pouted against his finger for one brief moment. It felt like a kiss. The sensation aroused him & when he replied to her question, his voice was rough.

"Well, I don't slave over a kitchen stove…but then I don't have to…the women in my life are determined to outdo each other in the catering department. But I can broil a damned good steak, & that's what you're going to have tonight. So…" he took her hand & tugged her across to the screen doors leading to the patio, "while I slave over a hot _barbecue_, you'll recline on a cushioned lounger & drink iced tea…and watch me."

"Do I have a choice?"

He slid open the screen door. "The only choice you'll have is whether you want your steak rare or medium or…as the best chefs refer to well-done steaks…ruined!"

Mimi chose to have her steak medium & Matt had his rare. He served them with baked potatoes & sour cream, and a simple salad of lettuce & tomatoes, and Mimi enjoyed every bite.

As she sat back afterward, enjoying the long rays of the evening sun & sipping the last of her iced tea, she watched Matt clear away their dishes. He changed earlier into khaki sorts & a green tank top. His body was tanned & he looked fit. He had more hair on his chest than he had in his student days.

Not wanting to let her thoughts drift to the intimacy of their shared past, she dragged her gaze up to his face. His brow was furrowed in concentration as he gathered up plates & barbecue tools; & she was able to study him without detection.

She already got used to his 'new' face & she decided it suited him. He'd been attractive before, but more in a teenage boy way. Now, the slightly broken nose gave his face character & the scarred lip gave it interest. He looked older & more mature…& very handsome. She found herself wanting to run her fingertips gently over his face, 'relearning' his features the way a blind person would.

_Who did he fight with?_ She wondered. Would she ever find out? But even as she asked herself the questions, she acknowledged that she didn't really care who he fought with; what she really wanted to know was the identity of the female they'd been fighting over.

Jealousy made her heart ache…irrational jealousy, for Matt had said the woman had been the only one for him; she herself had no intention of getting emotionally involved with Matt. He had let her down when she needed him most; if she ever gives in to her feelings for him, how could she ever be sure he wouldn't let her down again?

A clatter startled her. Matt had been trying to carry all of it at once, & dropped the barbecue tools along with a small blue plastic bowl that was bouncing its way across the patio toward her. She scooped it up & held it out to him.

"The lazy man's burden," she said archly.

"What?" He scowled at her, but his mouth twitched at the corners.

"Trying to carry everything at once to save time, but in the end, it's usually quicker to make two trips."

He took the bowl, perched it atop his load & then crouching down, kept his eyes on her as he lifted the barbecue tools & added them to his pile.

"Just watch me," he said. And stepping gingerly over the patio, he nudged the screen door open with his knee. "There," he said & walked triumphantly into the kitchen.

Mimi held her breath & listened. And then chuckled as, ten seconds later, she heard an almighty crash followed almost immediately by a loud & heartfelt "Damn!"

**

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**

AN: The women in Matt's life that he was talking about were Sora & his mother. The story's going on pretty well don't you think? Well, there's plenty more to come, so stay tuned!

Don't forget to review! Lol


	12. Chapter 12

This is the longest chapter yet coz we're almost halfway through the story & I didn't want to cut out the good part. In this chapter you will find out what Matt really feels for Sora.

**PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2** – you're really great! I'm trying to update as often as possible. I'm pretty excited about this story, too! **Koumi** – sorry, but I just got to ask, what is Koumi, anyway? You said it's well-known in Japan, and are you part of a gang or something? Coz I think that's really cool, but a little bit scary. There's really nothing wrong in liking Sorato, but dissing other writers, who doesn't meet your way of thinking, is just not right, man. **A Fire Inside** – Matt's really making effort to make things right between them, notice how he wants to drive her to the doctor or cook food for her & stuff like that. He really wants Mimi to trust him again.

Warning: There's a small scene where you'll find Sora seducing Matt…and most of you might not like it so be warned!

_**Chapter Twelve**_

Dr. Joe told her not to run around like a wild thing, but he also said that gentle walks would do her good. Mimi eased herself up from her chaise & wandered around the garden, pausing here as she remembered climbing this particular tree as a child…& there as she recalled scraping her knee badly on that particular rock…and finally stopping at the high stone wall at the foot of the garden, the wall she used to climb as an agile seventeen-year-old when she'd snuck out after her father was asleep, to meet Matt on those wonderful moonlit summer nights.

Matt saw her there, with her hand set lightly atop the garden wall, when he came out of the house. He stood for a moment on the patio looking at her. He could guess where her thought were, & his own thoughts also leaped back in time. How many nights he waited, at the other side of that wall, for her short pink head to appear in the moonlight? How many timed had he caught her slender figure as she jumped down into his arms? How many times had they made love together, on the…

He saw that Mimi had noticed him & she started walking up the path. Fighting to wrestle his memories back where they belonged, he strolled down to join her. They met alongside the gazebo, its tangle of red rambling roses twining in profusion around the white-painted trelliswork.

"The garden is in good shape." Mimi touched one of the scarlet blossoms. "Did you hire a gardener?"

"I cut the grass, do the pruning & heavy work, and my mother takes care of the weeding & flowers."

"Once I get my house back," Mimi said, "I'll be looking after the garden myself." Her tone was as determined as her stubbornly tilted chin. "Just as my mother did, & her mother before her, and…"

"Mimi…"

"…her mother before her! The by will keep me busy, but I'm sure I'll have lots of free time. Yes," she finished, her voice becoming shrill, "I'm looking forward to taking charge of my own garden & _my own house!_"

"Mimi," he grasped her shoulders tightly, giving her no chance to shake herself free, "listen to me. Can't you see how you're getting yourself all drilled up? It's not good for you…or your baby. I do understand how you feel, but I bought Laurel House legally, paid for it fair & square…"

"I have letters that prove my father had no right to sell! Letters my mother wrote to her best friend, Melissa, telling her she made my father promise to add my name to the house deeds when I turn twenty-one…and I was actually there in the room with my parents when my mother told him he had to do it & I was there when he promised he would and…"

"Just listen to my plan. What I suggest is that you & I both live here…"

"No way!"

"…until after your baby is safely born, then…if you still want to fight me…go ahead, I'll give you a run for your money…but at least I'll know I won't be endangering your health or that of your unborn child. Will you," he said urgently, "at least give my plan your consideration?"

Mimi shook her head. "No, I'm going to move on this right away &…"

"Mimi, please…"

"Don't hassle me, Matt." She stepped back from him as he reached out a hand in appeal. "I'm not going to change my mind."

"Will you at least sleep on it? I promise I won't pressure you any more this evening…in fact, I'm going out later."

"My answer would be the same in the morning."

"Then I'll accept it, in the morning."

She hesitated, & then finding herself unable to withstand his pleading expression, said, "Okay, but…"

"Just think about it, that's all I ask…"

"Matt, you just said you wouldn't pressure me!"

"Sorry, okay, not another word on the subject."

They started walking up to the house together. "Where are you off to tonight?" she asked.

"I'm taking Sora to a 'do' the town center…a fund-raiser for the baseball team."

"What kind of a 'do'?" She kept her tone light.

"A silent auction followed by a dance."

Mimi _liked_ Sora & knew she should have been pleased that her widowed friend finally found someone new to love. But instead, she felt her heart twist at the thought of Matt & Sora dancing close.

"In fact," Matt said, "I'd better get ready & change. I have to be at Sora's in twenty-minutes."

"Is the dance forma?"

"Uh-uh, it's a barn dance, anything goes."

They reached the patio & he turned to her. "Are you coming in now?"

"No, I'll stay out till it cools off."

"Then what will you do?"

"Matt, please don't worry too much about me. I'm perfectly able to look after myself."

"I just want you to take it easy. Remember what the doctor said."

"I _do_ remember what the doctor said; you don't have to remind me. Pleases understand that this baby…" she placed her hand gently on her stomach, "is the most important thing in the world to me. _Everything_ I do will be in its best interest!"

**

* * *

**

Matt thought over her words as he drove to Sora's place…and they gave him a feeling of hope. If Mimi truly meant what she said, then she would agree to put off any court action till after her baby was born, because avoiding that conflict would be in the baby's best interests.

In a lighter mood, he parked in front of Sora's house & it was with a jaunty step that he walked up her front path. She opened the door before he could knock.

"Hi!" Her auburn eyes sparkled as she came out. Dancing past him onto the path, she twirled around. "How do you like my new dress? Isn't it pretty?"

It was, he thought, as she looked up at him eagerly. And the bronze color brought out the topaz flecks in her eyes…but the only eyes he could think about were Mimi's…& the lonely expression he'd seen in them when he popped out the patio to tell her he was leaving. With all his heart, he wished he could have canceled this evening with Sora & spent it with…

"Well?" Sora prodded.

"You look terrific," he said, trying to inject warm enthusiasm into his voice. "The dress is perfect on you."

She made a dainty curtsy. "Thank you, kind sir. And you, may I say, look fantastic!"

"Well, thank you!" He cupped her elbow & led her down the path. "New perfume, too?"

"Mmm." Her voice was husky as she went on, "Tonight's special…so I decided to splurge."

"Where are the kids?'

"Mrs. Bertuzzi's baby-sitting and…" she paused & he sensed an odd fluttering tension in the air.

"And?" he prompted, opening the car door for her.

Her cheeks were pink, her eyes coyly lowered. "And…" as she slipped by him, her breasts brushed his arm, "I've arranged for them to sleep over at her place."

"Sounds like a good idea," Matt said absently before he slammed the door. It wasn't till he was rounding the trunk that a dismaying thought stopped him short, & he felt a stab of alarm as he put two & two together.

First there was Sora's husky 'Tonight's special,' then the new dress, the new perfume, the coy blush, the brushing of her breast against his arm…& finally…her arrangement to have the kids sleep over at the baby-sitter's house. _Was she setting the stage for seduction?_ The thought appalled him.

He'd never seen Sora as anything but the wife, & then the widow, of his old buddy Tai; and he had never said or done anything to lead her to think of him as anything more than a reliable friend. But somewhere along the way she must have got the wrong idea, & she fantasized their relationship into something more.

He struggled with a growing feeling of horror as he opened the door on the driver's side. _How the heck was he going to get himself out of this!_

**

* * *

**

In the end, his worries were forgotten…at least temporarily…when just before the last dance, the emcee came looking for them to tell Sora she had a phone call. The caller was Mrs. Bertuzzi, the boys' baby-sitter. Matt stood by as Sora took the call, & when she put the phone down, she looked distressed.

"It's Tom-Tom," she said. "He's got a fever & he's been really sick & he wants to go home." Her eyes shimmered with disappointed. "I'm sorry, Matt, but we'll have to leave.'

When they got to Mrs. Bertuzzi's house, the baby-sitter had the children waiting. Tom-Tom was glossy-eyed & flushed. No sooner did they get him home, than he was sick again. Sora told Matt he should go home, but Tom-Tom cried that he wanted his uncle Matt to stay. So Matt stayed.

Sora put the boys to bed, & though TJ went to sleep right away, Tom-Tom was weepy & still felt very sick. He wanted Matt to sit by his bed, so Matt did. And it wasn't till almost four that the child finally settled & drifted into a deep sleep. Matt got up from his chair & stretched.

"Thanks so much for staying." Sora wiped back a wisp of damp hair from her forehead & then said ruefully, as she glanced down at her crumpled dress, "Well, this evening didn't turn out quite as I planned, but then with kids in the picture, things rarely do! I'm sorry I've kept you up so late…I'll have to make it up to you another time."

Before then, Matt thought as she accompanied him out, that he'd have to find a moment to tell…in as gentle way as possible…that although he valued her as a friend, he'd never see her as anything more.

**

* * *

**

Mimi woke suddenly, not sure what had disturbed her. But she needed to go to the bathroom. She rolled out of bed & was almost at the door when she heard the sound of a car outside. She changed direction & padded over to the window. Cautiously parting the slats of the Venetian miniblinds, she peered down & was just in time to see Matt striding from his Honda, the white moonlight creating a long, thin shadow that glided behind him as he walked to the house.

She assumed that he had come home hours ago. Instead, he'd been out with Sora till…she glanced at the clock…after four! She felt sinking sensation deep in the pit of her stomach…& then was furious with herself. Why should the fact that Matt & Sora had been having sex upset her? Two mature adults on the brink of becoming engaged didn't go dancing & then stay up half the night playing tiddledywinks!

She slumped against the wall & stayed there till after she heard Matt come upstairs & go into his room. Then she waited till he had time to fall asleep, so she could creep through to the bathroom undetected.

The last thing she wanted was for him to know that she'd been awake when he came home. It was bad enough that she had to picture him making love to Sora, but if he heard her moving around & came out to investigate, he might sense her misery & might guess what had caused it.

If he knew how she felt about him, it would make life very awkward. _Humiliating for her; embarrassing for him._ She would have to find some way of making sure he believed she no longer had any feelings for him. And she should do it at the very first opportunity.

**

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**

When she went downstairs in the morning, Matt had already left for the office. The kitchen was empty but he must have cooked bacon & eggs for himself…the smell still lingered in the air & when she opened the dishwasher to insert her juice glass, she saw a plate with a trace of eggs on the surface.

He had left her a note on the table. _I'll Be Home At Noon. Have Your Answer Ready._

"Oh, yes, I'll have my answer ready," she murmured. "And it's going to be the same _no _as I gave you last night!"

But even as she tossed the note into the garbage, the lingering smell of fried food suddenly got to her & she felt queasy. Her stomach started to roll. She hurried out of the kitchen & ran upstairs to the bathroom and got there just in time.

She was even more violently sick than she'd been yesterday & by the time she emerged from the bathroom, she didn't have the strength to do anything but crawl back to bed. And that's where Matt found her when he came home.

She woke to the sound of his tap oh her half-open bedroom door. Raising her eyelids, she watched him come over to the bed…& the expression on his face was grim.

"For heaven's sake, Mimi, what's going on? Did you…"

Matt," she weakly put a hand to stop him, "don't be mad at me, I didn't do anything. I got up after you left & I went downstairs, but I felt sick, then I felt groggy so I decided to lie down. I guess I fell asleep again."

His mouth compressed into a thin line; & his voice, when he finally spoke, was rough wit emotion. "That's it, Mimi. From now on, you do as I say. Until the baby is delivered, you & I will live here together, whether you want to or not."

As Mimi opened her mouth to respond, he drowned her out. "For heaven's sake, woman, you don't have the energy to look after yourself. How do you suspect to survive if you insist on getting involved in a fight for this property…"

"Stop!" Shakily, Mimi pushed herself up on one elbow. "You're right, I give in. I'm not going to let pride get in the way of doing what's best for this baby. Yes, I'll agree with your plan. We'll live here together, for the time being, because I don't have the strength to shove you out & I don't have the will to go somewhere else to live. So…" she fell back on her pillows, "let's call a truce, till after the baby is born. And then…" she took in a deep breath, "it'll be a fight to the finish, no holds barred."

He had won. Matt could barely hide his satisfaction. The only thing that kept him from dancing was the sight of Mimi's pale pinched face. So instead of showing his delight, he sat down on the edge of the bed & rested a hand lightly on her hip.

"Could you eat something now?" he asked. "I think I could rustle up some chicken soup, s few crackers…"

"That would be great, thanks." She put a casual hand over his, just for a second, before withdrawing it again. "You're being very kind & I appreciate it. I have to admit," she added, "that I was nervous before I came back home, about the possibility of meeting you again."

"You had no reason to be nervous of me."

"Oh, I know that now…but the truth is, I was afraid I might still be attracted to you. I tell you…" she wrinkled her nose, "it's been enormous relief to find that whatever I felt for you before was merely teenage infatuation…and it's totally gone." She closed her eyes & a rueful sigh whispered from between her lips. "It was nice, of course, at the time. But it's even nicer that it's over. I wouldn't ever want to ride that roller coaster of emotions again!"

She might as well have kicked him in the crotch with a pointy-toed stiletto. It would have been less painful.

And as he walked downstairs a few moments later, he reflected self-derisively that, like Sora, he had built himself a fantasy world. A fantasy world in which he & Mimi would end up together & live happily ever after.

He realized it might take a long time to regain her trust, but he managed to convince himself he could eventually do it. He hadn't even considered the possibility that she no longer had any interest in him.

But that didn't change the way he felt about her…the way he had always felt about her. That would never change, & he would look after her for as long as she needed him. He would just have to make sure she never found out that he was still in love with her, because if she ever did, it would make life very awkward. _Humiliating for him; & very embarrassing for her._

**

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**

AN: If you guys really paid attention to this chapter, you'll discover that Matt & Mimi thought of the same thing; _Humiliating for him; embarrassing for her…_& vice versa. Get it? Things are starting to heat up between Matt & Mimi, so stick around to find out what's gonna happen next.

Chapter 13 coming soon! Don't forget to review! lol


	13. Chapter 13

This is a special chapter coz you guys will get to discover more about Matt & Mimi's past and about Mimi's father. There's a little bit angst & drama, but it's all good.

_**Chapter Thirteen**_

After Matt left the bedroom, Mimi got up. She smoothed down her shirt & slacks, and went to the bathroom to freshen up before going downstairs. When she entered the kitchen, Matt was setting a bowl of soup on a small tray.

"You don't have to bring that upstairs," she said, as he looked around. "I'm feeling much better. Mmm, that smells good." She threw him a friendly smile. "Out of a can?"

"Out of the freezer."

"Ah, from Sora…or your mom?"

"My mother, she makes the best chicken soup…and she believes it's a cure for whatever ails you."

"You're going to have some, too?"

"No, I've arranged to have lunch with a client…I was planning to go right back to the office."

"Do you have to rush? I have a few questions to ask, they've been bothering me."

"Sure, I have a couple of minutes to spare."

He set her soup bowl & cutlery on the table, along with a plate of crackers, a napkin & dish of butter. Pulling out her chair, he waited for her to be seated before leaning back against the counter & saying, "Okay, what do you want to know?"

She picked up her coup spoon. "When I called hare a few weeks ago from New York…"

"You called? But you didn't leave a message."

"I didn't call to _talk_ to anyone; I just called because I wanted to make sure my father was still here. And when I heard his voice on the answering machine…I assumed he still lives here. So what I was wondering was why…"

"Why his voice is still on the tape, & why didn't I have that number disconnected when I moved in?'

She nodded. "Why didn't you get your own new number or have your own message on the answering machine?"

"I did & I do. The only reason I didn't have the old line disconnected was…you didn't come home for your father's funeral so I assumed you didn't know he passed away. On the off chance that one day you might call…which you eventually did…I was hoping I'd either be around to take your call or you would leave a message & your phone number so I can call you back."

"Oh, I see."

"Would you have come home for the funeral, Mimi, if you knew…"

"Yes, of course." She sipped from her soup spoon & swallowed before going on. "But I wish now that I'd come back earlier, so I could have talked with my before he died. I'd have dearly liked the chance to…"

"Mend fences. Yeah, it's really sad when you miss that opportunity."

"Mend fences?" She stared at him incredulously. "You got to be kidding! I had no interest whatsoever in mending fences with my father. Mending fences implies that both sides were at fault. That's not the case here. If I did anything wrong, it was because I followed my heart…and my hormones," she added with a self-derisive laugh. "Whereas my father…well, I believe that parents should love their children unconditionally. If my father ever loved me…& I'm not sure he ever did…he withdrew that love because I didn't live up to his standards. The only reason I wished I could have talked with him was so I could have told him…to his face…that he was _wrong_."

Matt frowned at her. "He wouldn't have been the man you remembered, Mimi. And what good would it have done…"

"It might not have done him any good, but it would certainly have made me feel a whole lot better!"

He shook his head, as if he was disappointed in her. 'The Mimi I remember was compassionate…"

"That was another Mimi…a different Mimi." She pushed her soup bowl aside, her appetite gone, as smoldering old anger flared to brilliant new life. "We all have to be accountable for our actions, Matt. My father held me accountable for mine…no one ever held him accountable for his."

Matt tried to speak but she overrode him. "And no one," she added bitterly, "ever held you accountable for yours."

She heard his shocked hiss of breath. "It took two, Mimi."

"Yes, but you were nineteen, a college student…while I was seventeen, almost eighteen, & little more than a child."

"That," he said quietly, "was a low blow."

"You took Taekwondo," she retorted, "I'm sure you can handle it."

In a voice that held absolutely no intonation, he said, "I _used_ to be, Mimi. I no longer enjoy fighting."

Her own wounded heart made her want to draw blood from his. "Because you're a coward & you lost the nerve."

He remained silent & the coldness of that silence only made her want to snap at him further. "I admired you for many things." Her upper lip curled in distaste. "But a coward wasn't one of them."

If the atmosphere between them had been tense before, now it was so tight it almost choked her. She sensed that of all the things she might have accused him of, being a coward was the worst. But he said nothing. He just kept looking at her, his expression was so sorrowful it made her want to cry.

Matt was right, it had indeed been a low blow to assume the he took advantage of her…when he _never_ did. In the beginning, he believed her to be older than she was; he didn't know that as a gifted student, she moved through school at an accelerated pace & had been ready to graduate at seventeen. By that time, they were not only crazy about each other, but they had become lovers.

"Mimi, I know you'll never forgive me…but can't you find it in your heart to forgive your father?"

"Even if I could forgive him for his harsh treatment toward me, I could never forgive him for betraying my mother. When he sold this house…"

"Mimi, please let's not get into that again. Dammit, if I'd known we were going to get into this kind of discussion, I'd have gone right back to the office. It's not good for you…or the baby…when you get so upset!"

"It's not easy to stay calm when I think about what he did. This house was my mother's. It was in her family for four generations. He had no right to sell it! He had no right to sell my memories! Everywhere I look, I'm reminded of Mom, of the things we did together, & the happy times we shared. How could he have…" she broke off & he saw she was close to tears. But she clenched her jaw & said stubbornly, "Nothing you can say will ever make me feel any differently about him."

There _was_ something he could say that might make a difference…something he'd been told in confidence. But he was willing to break that confidence if it would help Mimi to forgive her father. And he would have talk to Davis later, explain what he had done & why. Davis would understand.

"Mimi, there's something you don't know about your father."

"Nothing you can say will change how I…"

"Hear me out." He pulled back his chair a little & set his hands on his thighs. "Mimi, you did try to contact your father, didn't you…five or six years ago?"

"How…how on earth did you know that?"

"You called him several times; you even left a number where you could be reached. Is that right?"

Numbly she nodded.

"But your father didn't pick up the pone…& he never called you back."

"If you're going to say that he couldn't because of his stroke…"

"I'm not going to say that. His speech was badly impaired, but he was able to communicate, through sounds & gestures, with one person…his attendant, the male nurse who looked after him. So…"

"So he could have had his nurse talk to me. But he didn't & he chose not to," she said scornfully.

"He chose not because he believed that if you found out he was incapacitated, you would have come home to look after him. He knew the kind of person you were, Mimi & he didn't want to be a burden to you. _Not_ contacting you was probably the most unselfish thing your father ever did."

Her face had become pale. "How can you possibly know this?"

"Davis Motomiya, your father's nurse, has been a friend of mine for the past few years. He looked after your father at Laurel House from the time he had his stroke, so after your father died, I asked Davis if you were coming home for the funeral. He said nobody knew where you were…& that's when he told me about those old calls. He kept a note of the number & he tried to track you down, but the woman it had belonged to…Melissa Brent…passed away & after that, the trail went cold. Who was she, Mimi?"

"An old friend of my mother's who lived in Chicago."

"That's were you went after you ran away?"

"Yes, I contacted Melissa. She took me in, looked after me, & eventually put me through college. She never married & never had a family of her own, so when my mom passed away, she adopted me. When she died a few years later, I was devastated, & I felt…lost. And for the first time I thought about going home, but when my father didn't return my calls, I figured nothing had changed so I shut him out of my mind. I moved to New York, made a fresh start, and I built myself a successful career & had a good life there."

"That is what your father wanted for you, to have a good life."

"If what Davis Motomiya told you is true, then yes, that is what he wanted for me. But that still doesn't excuse him for betraying my mother. She owned Laurel House when she married him, Matt…but she put his name on the deed, too. Then years later, when she knew their marriage was leading to a divorce, she made him promise that when I turn twenty-one, he'd put my name on the deed along with his own. It's clear he didn't do that, or he couldn't have sold the house without my agreement."

She sighed. "Let's drop it shall we? We're never going to agree on who should really have possession of this house!"

He was more than happy to drop it; the last thing he wanted was to upset her by arguing. "Sure," he got up, "I should be on my way now anyway. Is there anything I can pick up for you in town?"

She rose from her chair. "How about a can of gas for my car?"

The mocking humor in her tone made him smile. "Good try…but no, you're going to take it easy till your next visit to the doctor & that means no driving. Anything you need…other than gas!...just give me a call & I'll pick it up for you."

He felt like a husband. He wished he _were_ her husband. He'd give anything to pick up the phone at work & hear her say, "Darling, could you bring home a pint of milk?"

She walked him to the door, & as she hovered there, with the sunlight sparkling in her silky hair, he was sorely tempted to kiss her goodbye…which he would have done if he was her husband.

But he wasn't. So he didn't.

**

* * *

**

AN: Thank goodness I'm done with this one. Whew! I really had a hard time writing this chapter coz there's so much angst & drama, but it's VERY important to the story so I had to put it. I hope I cleared some of issues about M&M's past. If you have any questions, just let me know.

Don't forget to review! Lol

**A Fire Inside** – no, really, I didn't know that…till now, thanks! You see, I don't pay much attention to other pairings except Mimato, Taiora, & Takari. I revolve my world around them so much; I'm clueless about the others…hehe! And I've never thought of Koushiro & Mimi being together…it never crossed my mind. Thanks for the info! **PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2** – I'm so flattered to hear that. You're awesome, too! Every time I update a chapter, I always look forward to reading your review. I'm afraid that once I go to college, I wouldn't have much time to write & update stories, so I'm doing it now as much as possible. **Janay** – thanks! Keep R&R! **Koumi** – okay, I'll be honest with you, I'm more into Mimato (as you well know)…but I'm open to any pairings! Maybe someday I can write a Koumi story. Actually, I'm planning to write about different couples, but as of now, I'm sticking to Mimato. Would you want me to make a Koumi one? It would be a nice challenge. Lol :)


	14. Chapter 14

There's a little bit of drama in here…just a conversation between Mimi & Elena…about Matt. So I say this is one of those 'what-really-happened-in-past' moments. Enjoy!

_**Chapter Fourteen**_

The following days passed quietly for Mimi. She had always loved the country life & she relished the peace she found at Laurel House…and especially enjoyed the warm afternoons spent outdoors when she would lie on a chaise in the shade & dream dreams of her coming bay.

She & Matt had settled into a routine that was casual & comfortable on the surface. But underneath there shimmered a constant sexual tension, & Mimi did her best to avoid any physical contact with him because even the merest brushing of his shoulder against hers could set explosions of sensation dancing across her skin.

It might have been easier if they hadn't been alone together so much, but their only visitor was Elena, & she often comes by during the day…she worked evening shifts as housekeeper at Sandforfd's Inn, & was kept busy between times in her position as Beautification chairman in the town center.

Mimi liked Matt's mother, & the old woman seemed to like her, too. Although Elena always had a purpose when she came…usually to vacuum, garden, or deliver casserole…she invariably took time to sit & share a pot of tea with Mimi, before scooting away on her bicycle. And it was on one such visit that she mentioned to Mimi that Sora had been down with flu.

"The boys had it first," she said as Mimi reached over the patio table to refill her teacup. "And then Sora got it. She's up & about again, and when I talked to her yesterday, she said to let you know she'd be in touch soon." Elena sat back in her chair. "And how are you feeling? When do you see Dr. Joe for your next checkup?"

"Tomorrow, I'm feeling really well. The morning sickness has passed, thank goodness. And Matt has been doing such a good job of looking after me…he's treating me as if I'm made of glass crystal!"

"Just enjoy it." Elena's eyes were warm with affection. "Being pregnant is a special time in a woman's life & you have always been very special to Matt."

_Oh, sure,_ Mimi mused cynically; _she'd always been very special to him…so special that when she told him eight years ago that she was pregnant with his child, he looked at her as if she'd grown three extra heads._

"Mimi?" Elena's tone was questioning. "Does it bother you that Matt wants to look after you?"

Mimi liked the other woman too much to lie to her. "What bothers me is that he seem to think that if he looks after me this time around, it'll make up for his rejection of me when I was expecting his child. It won't. He should have been there to support me through what was a very difficult pregnancy; he should have been there to share the sorrow when our baby was stillborn. Instead he took all pleasure & suffered none of the pain. He walked away, Elena. He got off scot-free."

"Oh, no, Mimi, he…" Elena swallowed back whatever she'd been going to say, & clamped her lips together as if to stop the words from coming out themselves. She gazed entreatingly at Mimi, as if asking for something.

But asking for what, understanding? But Mimi didn't understand…couldn't understand, unless Matt's mother explained.

"Elena?"

Elena shook her head. "Please forget what I said."

"But you didn't say anything!"

"I'm sorry." Obviously distressed, Elena added, "I can't say anymore. But…I would ask you one thing, Mimi. Please…will you try not to be too hard on Matt? You really are very special to him & always have been. It took years for him to get over losing you. And I sometimes wonder if he ever did."

"He didn't lose me. He…made his choice…and he chose…"

"He panicked," Elena said softly. "And in that moment of initial panic, he thought he had to make a choice…and in not wanting to hurt me, he ended up hurting you."

"But…how could he have hurt you?"

"I said he thought he had to make a choice."

"I don't understand…"

"Let me explain. When Matt's father died, I was left with a six & two year old sons. I had no money & no training. I took two jobs, waitressing & housecleaning, and saved every penny I could for Matt & TK's education. As soon as Matt was old enough to work after school, he did in every chance he got. His dream was to become a lawyer & help his brother get into a nice university. When TK got a letter from Oxford, Matt & I made sure that we were going to make it happen. Since TK was in London, Matt stayed close by just so he can take care of me. He went away to law school, but he always managed to come back just so he could see me. Then…he was just beginning his third year when you told him you were pregnant. He knew he couldn't support you unless he…"

"Unless he dropped out & got a job. I know that, Elena, & I know it would have been a sacrifice to give up his dreams but in life there are consequences…"

"Matt wasn't thinking of himself, Mimi, he was thinking of me. Of the sacrifices he believed I had made for him. What he didn't realize was that I never looked on it that way, everything I did for him I did out of love. All I wanted was to see him happy. If he hadn't panicked & he brought you to me instead…we'd somehow have managed. We would have been a _family_."

Mimi's throat suddenly felt painfully constricted. She swallowed, but when she spoke, her voice still came out huskily. "I wish…that could have happened. I never really had that kind of family…not after my parents got divorced. My father…well, he didn't know much about bringing up children."

"You're father wasn't as easy man, Mimi. But I'm sure he did love you…in his own way."

When Matt's mother left about ten minutes later, Mimi stood at the front door watching her cycle away. Leaning back against the doorjamb, she let her thoughts drift back to their conversation…& in particular, to Elena's protesting "_Oh, no!_" after Mimi had said Matt got off scot-free. What had his mother been about to say before she cut herself off? Whatever it was, she seemed really upset, but about what? No matter how Mimi tried to come up with some answer, an explanation eluded her.

Eventually she went inside & as she crossed the foyer, she felt the waistband of her shorts digging into her stomach. Unfastening the button to relieve the pressure, she reflected that all her clothes were beginning to feel too tight. She needed to go shopping for maternity clothes.

But Matt still hadn't put gas in her car. He made no secret of his reason: he wanted to control her movements & keep her from doing too much. But she was feeling a lot better now. Maybe tomorrow, after she sees the doctor, she could do some shopping. She went through to the kitchen & called Matt's office. Yolei put her through right away.

"What's wrong?" Matt's tone was sharp with concern.

"Nothing's wrong," Mimi said with exaggerated patience. "I'm just calling to ask you to bring home a can of gas tonight for my car."

"Why?"

"I want to go shopping tomorrow for maternity clothes."

"I'll drive you."

"Matt, it's not necessary for you to take time off work. I know how busy you are. If you don't bring home gas, I'll walk into town & carry a can home myself!"

"No way! Tell you what, Mimi. Today's Thursday, the South center Mall & most of the other stores in Odaiba are open tonight till nine. I'll come home early, we'll have a leisure drive there, have a nice dinner out & then I'll look around in a bookstore while you do your shopping."

Before she could argue, he added in a pathetic mock-whine, "I nid the break, Miz Tachikawa. I bin cookin' & slavin' for ya for weeks, don't I deserve a night out?"

Mimi chuckled, but said, "Matt, I really am able to drive myself around. I don't need any more chauffer!"

"I'll make a deal." His voice had reverted to its usual baritone. "If you let me drive you to the mall tonight, we'll drop by the gas station tomorrow after you visit the doctor, & then you'll be mobile again."

She could see he wasn't about to give in; & it was tempting to have someone else do the driving. "All right," she said. "You've got yourself a deal."

"Great, now don't forget to have a nap this afternoon & I'll be there to pick you up around four thirty."

**

* * *

**

It was around two in the after noon & Mimi was about to go upstairs for her nap, when someone rang the door bell. She crossed the foyer & opened the door to find Sora standing there. Looking trim & attractive in blue jeans & a navy t-shirt, the perky red-head beamed at her.

"Hi, there, Mimi!" She gave Mimi a hug, enveloping her in her light floral perfume.

"Sora, come in! Are you feeling better?"

"Perfect." Sora walked into the foyer. "How about you? I believe you're expecting a happy event!"

Elena told Mimi days ago that her pregnancy was now common knowledge in town.

**Flashback**

"How…what?" she asked.

"Not that Matt & I spilled the beans," Elena confided, "but Matt's receptionist, Yolei, is a friend of Sora's & when Yolei told Sora you fainted in Matt's office, it apparently confirmed what Sora had already guessed…that you are pregnant…and Sora said as much to Yolei. And though Yolei's the only soul of discretion when it comes to her work, when it come to local gossip…well, her lips are a wee bit loose."

**End of Flashback**

"I'm feeling fine," Mimi said to Sora. "I'm getting better every day!" She gestured toward the sitting room. "Let's go in here. Can I offer you a cup of tea? Juice?"

"No, thanks," Sora said as they wandered into the room. "I just had lunch." She dropped into the sofa & looked rather wistfully across at Mimi. "There's nothing quite like that first pregnancy. I envy you, because it's all so…new. You have so much to look forward to…have you felt the baby move yet?"

"Yes, I have."

"Isn't it thrilling, the first time you notice it? But the first time for everything's exciting, whereas in the second pregnancy, it's almost old hat. I've always wanted a big family," Sora burbled on. "Do you remember that? When we were kids, we used to tell each other all our secrets."

"Yeah, you thought four was the perfect number."

"I still do! And…I know Matt loves kids. He's been like a dad to TJ & Tom-Tom since Tai died." Sora's auburn eyes glowed. "Oh, I just feel I can still confide in you, Mimi, it's as if all those years between had just melted away. I just can't tell you how wonderful it is to have someone like Matt. I thought, when Tai died, that I'd never want to be with anyone else…but now…"

"I'm happy for you, Sora." Mimi was astounded that she managed to sound so calm. "And for Matt, too."

"Mimi-chan, are you sure you're feeling okay? You look awfully pale. Oh, I'm so selfish, going on & on about how wonderful everything is for me…and never even asking you about your baby's father. Is he…will he be coming here, to Odaiba?"

"No, I'm on my own, Sora."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to say, really. Michael didn't want this baby. We've been together for almost five years & we parted amicably enough…I stayed on for a while to tie up all the loose ends & then…I came home, to make a new life here."

"I hope it works out for you." Sora got to her feet. "Listen, Mimi-chan, you do look tired. I'm going to leave now & let you have your rest. You do take naps every afternoon, don't you? It's very important."

"Yes, I do."

Mimi walked Sora to the front door, & as they stood in front of the door, Sora said, "I'm so glad you came back, Mimi. I know we're going to be great friends again. And while it's good of Matt to let you stay on here till you're feeling stronger, once you move out I hope you find a nice place not too far from Laurel House, so that we'll find it easy to visit each other whenever we feel like it."

So Matt hadn't told Sora about her own claim to Laurel House. It would surely jolt her…just as it now jolted Mimi to realize that Sora was planning on living here with Matt…as his wife. Mimi hadn't thought that far ahead.

"Oh!" Sora clapped a hand to her forehead. "I almost forgot the reason I came up to see you! I wanted to invite you for dinner tomorrow evening. I'm going to try out a new lasagna recipe…and I'd like you to meet my boys."

Mimi didn't really want to go, it was hard to put on a happy face when Sora spoke bout herself & Matt…but how could she refuse without being rude?

"That would be lovely, Sora. What time?"

"Around five."

"Where do you live?"

"You don't have to worry about that." Sora patted Mimi's arm & then walked away toward her car.

"Why not?"

"Matt knows where I live," she called back gaily. "Heavens, he spends half his time at my place! He's also coming…you can drive over together."

As Sora drove away, Mimi stared frustratedly after the car. The last thing she wanted was to spend an evening with Matt & Sora, watching them drool & coo over each other. But now she committed herself to it.

**

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**

AN: The next chapter will be the Mall scene, and I assure you it's gonna be fun! Please review! lol

**Riven** – thanks! I'm glad you're also reading my other story! **PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2** – you're pretty awesome, too! Matt STILL loves Mimi, but she thinks he loves Sora. Thanks for all the reviews, I really appreciate it! **Amelia-Black** – hi, welcome to my world of Mimato fic! I'm glad you enjoyed it. This story is not actually connected to the digiworld. Thanks for the amazing review! keep R&R! **Koumi** – I'm not saying I'll stop writing Mimato. Can you be a little bit compassionate coz I'm trying to be nice here! Anyways, I have this story in mind about koumi, but it'll take time before I finish it.


	15. Chapter 15

Hi guys! Sorry it took a while for me to update this one. My cousins came for a visit yesterday & I spent most of the time with them. Anyways, I really enjoyed writing this chapter & I hope you will too coz this is the part where Matt & Mimi go out for dinner & go shopping together. By the way, thanks for all the amazing reviews!

_**Chapter Fifteen**_

Matt got home at four-twenty. The house felt empty. He strode across the foyer, calling out, "Mimi?" but no one answered.

He was about to go upstairs when he heard the patio door open. He crossed to the sitting room & saw Mimi coming in from outside. She was wearing a cream silk shirt over slim black pants, & with her brown hair cascading sleekly over her shoulders, she looked so beautiful it made his heart ache.

"Hi," he said. "I was just about to go upstairs & look for you…I thought you might have overslept."

"Sorry…I did hear the car arrive, but I was down at the garden."

"You look fantastic."

Blushing, she said in a flustered voice, "Thanks, I didn't know where you were taking me for dinner but I assumed it wouldn't be at McDonald's or the food fair at the mall, & these pants were the only dressy ones I could fit into…& even these wouldn't meet at the waist so I had to fasten them with a safety pin…"

"Aw, damn," he teased, "there goes the image!"

She laughed & he was glad to see her relax. "So," he said, "you're ready to leave?"

She nodded.

"Okay." He ran a hand over his jaw. "Give me a couple of minutes to freshen up."

As he stood in the bathroom scrapping a razor over his jaw, his high spirits over his outing with Mimi reminded him of the way he used to feel eight years ago when he'd been getting ready for one of their secret dates. He'd always been dizzy with impatience but still he took time to shave carefully first so his jaw wouldn't rasp her skin.

He knew Mimi's father would notice if her cheeks were grazed & he didn't want to alert him to the fact that his precious daughter had a boyfriend. Not that he'd been afraid of the man. Although Max Tachikawa had been six foot three & built like a bull, Matt knew that with his own taekwondo skills he could have knocked him down. But he'd been afraid of Mimi, who couldn't stand up to her father's rages.

He finished shaving…& smiled cynically as he regarded his rugged reflection in the mirror. Despite his slightly crooked nose & scarred lip, women still found him attractive.

Except for the one woman he wanted. _She _told him straight-out that he left her cold. He wasn't about to give up, though.

"_You wouldn't know unless you tried_." Whoever had said that first got it right & from now on, it would be his mantra.

**

* * *

**

"What a charming place!" Mimi said, as Matt drew the Honda up in the graveled forecourt of the Darces Inn, which was situated on the outskirts of Odaiba.

The off-white & slate-blue building was set high above a lake, in acres of green lawn adorned by trees & roses, and along a sloping path to the east entrance, on a knoll, stood a rustic wishing well.

"Yeah," Matt said, "it's nice. Food's great, too."

They strolled to the front door, but as Matt pulled it open a bunch of people came toward them from inside, & putting a protective arm around Mimi's shoulders, he held her back while keeping the door open for the oncoming group.

She was pressed against him for not more than twenty seconds, but it was long enough for her to become excruciatingly aware of the possessive strength of his hard-muscled arm & the intimate pressure of his hip against her thigh. A wave of wanting made her knees weak. She longed to slide her arms around his waist, lean her cheek against his chest, and inhale his sexy male scent…

But if she did, would she also smell Sora's distinctive floral perfume on his shirt…just as she smelled the faint memory of it lingering in his car?

The thought acted like a bucket of icy water, dousing the flame of desire that had licked through her. For a moment there she let her guard down, had forgotten about the painful past, & had forgotten that Matt already has someone else. She enjoyed his company, but now she felt all her pleasure fade.

And the moment Matt released her, she stepped away quickly & walked into the foyer, trying to put as much distance between them as possible.

The maitre d' seated them at a window table over looking the lake. And though she'd have given anything to be sitting at home, alone, she nevertheless put on her brightest smile & pretended to be having a good time.

Their conversation rolled easily over dinner…she asked him about local people she'd known when she was growing up & Matt filled her in on what had happened to them. But when they reached the coffee stage, she noticed that he seemed distracted.

"Penny for your thoughts!" she said & saw him jump. "Or are they worth more?" she teased.

He gazed at her lovingly for a few moments, & then he said, "I don't know what they're worth, but _you _do."

She raised her eyebrows.

"I was actually thinking," he said slowly, "about the man you left behind in New York. And I was wondering how you feel about him now."

She stiffened, but before she could say anything, he said bluntly, "Are you still in love with him?"

"Love isn't like water in a tap, Matt." She tried to sound faintly amused. "You can't just turn it on & off at will."

"So you're still in love with the guy."

"Excuse me…" the waiter hovered at their table, "would either of you like some more coffee?"

Mimi shook her head. "Not for me, thanks."

Matt said, "No, we're done."

"I'll bring your bill, then." The waiter headed toward the back of the restaurant.

"Mimi…"

"Matt, it's getting late & I'd really like to get to the stores. If you'll excuse me, I'll just pop through to the ladies room first." She pushed back her chair. "I'll meet you outside."

"You're running away."

She rose to her feet. He did, too. "No, Matt, you've got me confused with another Mimi. Mimi Tachikawa doesn't run." She squared her shoulders. "The answer to your question is yes, I still love Michael."

She saw his eyes darkened, but she didn't give him a chance to respond. "I'll probably always love him," she said, "because of what we had together & because he's the father of my child. We were together for five years, & I think about him often. I still shed tears because we had something special & we lost it. But I'm no longer _in love_ with him. He wasn't quite the man I thought he was."

She turned away & made her way to the ladies room. When she got there, she was thankful to find it empty. She stood at the sink, her breath coming fast, as she stared distraughtly at her reflection in the mirror.

To her surprise she looked just as neatly groomed as she had when she & Matt left the house…she'd half expected to look as if she'd been in a cyclone. That was the way she felt, with her heart & mind all blown around & topsy-turvy.

Why had she told Matt she was no longer in love with Michael? Couldn't she have lied about that? Then perhaps, if he believed her heart belonged to another, he would stop gazing at her the way he'd been doing a few moments ago…as if he wanted her more than life itself.

**

* * *

**

He was standing at the wishing well when she went outside. She walked up the path to join him. A soft breeze gusted from the lake & she put up a hand to hold back her hair as it blew over her face. It was a perfect evening…and very like the June evening when she & Matt had first met, at a rock concert in Morel Park.

The bittersweet memory of that precious evening tugged at her heartstrings & made her throat ache painfully. They had been so sure then that they were made for each other. Kindred spirits. Soul mates.

"Here." Matt held out a shiny quarter as she reached him. "Make a wish."

She dragged herself out of the swamp of nostalgia. No good would come of dwelling on the past; that part of her life was over. Over & done with. She had come back to Odaiba to move forward, not to drift back.

She ignored it & stepped to the opposite side of the well. Looking across at him, she said lightly, "How about you? Aren't you going to make one?"

"I already have."

"What did you wish for?"

"That would be telling." His mouth curved in a lazy smile. "But if it comes true, you'll know it." He gestured toward the well. "Go ahead."

What did he mean she would 'know it'? Perhaps he hadn't actually proposed to Sora yet; but when he did, Mimi would certainly know it because the air would be filled with wedding plans.

So…what should she wish for? She could have wished for Matt's love, but he already proved in the past that she couldn't trust him…and love without trust was a useless thing.

And even if, by some miracle, she could have trusted him again, it was too late. He was Sora's now. Sora's fingerprints were all over him. Her underwear was in his house. Her scent was in his car. Her heart was in his hands.

Mimi dropped the quarter into the well & as it hit the water below with a tiny splash, she closed her eyes. And wished for what she wanted most in the entire world: _A happy, healthy full-term baby._

**

* * *

**

Mimi & Matt split up when they reached the mall & Mimi soon found Mommy's-To-Be, a maternity clothing store jam-packed with attractive outfits.

When she finished shopping, she walked along to the Bay to browse in their Baby Department as she still had some time remaining before she was to meet Matt.

She just picked up two packages of infant-size pajamas & had moved o to admire a crib decorated with Disney decals, when she felt someone touch her shoulder. Turning, she found Matt right behind her.

"Hi," he said. "I saw you pass the bookstore & decided to follow you in case you were done." He glanced down at her pink-&-blue striped carrier bags with their store logo. "Find what you were looking for?"

"Mmm. How about you?"

"I got a couple of books." He indicated a glossy blue bag swinging from his hand.

"Are you ready to leave now?"

"Yeah." He reached up to touch a mobile suspended over the crib, and the zebras, giraffes & lions bobbed smoothly up & down. "Hey," he said with a chuckle, "cool!"

She looked at his laughing upturned face, & it hit her like a slap that this was how it should have been eight years ago. The two of them in a Baby Department somewhere, looking at baby things…together. It stung that he should be here with her now, pushing himself in where she didn't want him to be. She was having this baby on her own; he was the last person from whom she'd accept any help, advice, or support!

She felt overwhelmed by hurtful memories. "I'm ready to leave, too," she said. "I just have to pay for a couple of items."

"Sure." He tipped the mobile again, & chuckled again. "Go ahead."

She walked away toward the nearest cash register, resentment making her head pound.

"What cute little PJ's!" the clerk said as she took Mimi's credit card. "Is this a gift? Would you like a box?"

"No, thanks, they're for me."

"Oh, lovely! When's the baby due?"

"Not till the end of the year."

"So you have lots of time to get everything ready." The woman rang up the sale. "Boy or girl?"

"I don't know…actually, I don't want to."

"Then you're wise to pick purple. Want it to be surprise, eh?"

"It's one of my favorite colors. I plan on having the baby's room purple & white."

"That'll be nice & fresh. And besides…" the clerk returned the credit card, "If your next baby's not the same sex as the first one, you won't need to redecorate the nursery!"

Mimi murmured something noncommittal, & stuffed her credit card back into her wallet. As she did, someone behind her slid a colorful box across the counter. "I'll have this," he said. "Thanks."

It was Matt. And the box contained a mobile similar to the one he'd been admiring. When he saw her quick frown, he spread out his hands in a gesture of mock-helplessness. "So sue me," he drawled. "I couldn't resist."

"This is for me?" Her voice was cool with disapproval.

"Not for you." His smile so big, it almost reached his eyes. "Not for you, silly. It's for your baby."

_I don't want you buying stuff for my baby!_ She sit back the words because she didn't want to be ungracious. Instead she said, "You shouldn't have. You've already bought me a nice meal."

He waved her words aside. And after he completed his purchase, he escorted her back to the car where he tossed all their packages into the back seat.

As they drove out of the car park, he asked, "Tired?"

"Mmm. But it's common in pregnancy to be tired in the evenings. I have to admit that I wouldn't be up to doing this every night!"

"Ah well, tomorrow night you'll have the whole house to yourself. You can have supper on a tray, put your feet up & relax. I'm going out."

"To Sora's, yes, I know." When Matt turned to look at her, his expression was questioning. "She invited me for dinner, too. I didn't know," she added, "when I accepted the invitation, that she already invited you."

A look of annoyance flitted over his face. It was quite obvious that eh didn't want her there…and it hurt. But if he didn't want her there, she wanted it even less.

"I'm sorry." Her voice came out weakly. "As I said, if I knew you were coming I…"

"It's not your fault." His hands tightened around the steering wheel. "It's just that I haven't seen Sora for the past couple of weeks as she & the boys have been coping with flu, but…there was something important I planned to discuss with her about tomorrow evening, & now…"

"I'll call her & I'll make up some excuse so…"

"No," he shook his head. "As I said, it's important, but it can wait."

"Matt, I…"

"Forget it, Mimi." He had become detached. "We'll go over there tomorrow evening for dinner, as arranged. You'll have a good time; you'll enjoy meeting TJ & Tom-Tom. They're great kids & I love them as if they were my own."

But they weren't his own, Mimi reflected unhappily. The child that _would_ have been his own would have been seven years old now. This baby had been a girl. The doctors told her that much.

Mimi sighed as a wave of sorrow swept over her. Not a day passed that she didn't think about her little daughter. Not a day passed that she didn't shed a tear over her. She thought, at the time of her loss, that nothing would fill the aching void. But now she was expecting another baby, & this time everything would be all right. Everything _had_ to be all right.

When they arrived home, Matt opened the car door for her , & after she got out, he retrieved their packages from the back seat.

"How are you feeling now?" he asked, passing over her carrier bags as they walked into the house.

"Actually, I'm ready for bed."

"Can I bring you up something?" he asked his tone solicitous. "A mug of hot chocolate or a couple of cookies maybe?"

He sounded, she thought, like an 'old married' husband; she half expected him to say, _"Or how about a cup of tea, dear?"_ But he didn't look like an 'old married' husband, he looked dynamic, handsome, & more seductive that sin itself…and much more suited to getting into a woman's bed than setting a tray of tea & cookies on top of it!

"No, thanks." She started for the stairs. "I bet the moment my head hits the pillows, I'll fall asleep."

But as it turned out, she didn't, because when she got into bed she noticed that by mistake, Matt had given her his package, too. It lay at the floor of her bed, along with her own unopened bags.

_Did he buy a book he planned on reading tonight?_

She scrambled down to the foot of the bed & picked up his package. Then curios to see what his reading tastes were, she opened the glossy bag. He bought three books; the first was the latest Grisham novel, but when she saw the other two, she stared in disbelief.

One was: _A Handbook for the Mom-to-be._

The second was: _A Handbook for the Dad-to-be._

Resentment spread like bushfire though her veins. _How dare him!_ Oh, it was bad enough that he bought her a baby book, but to take upon himself the role of father-in-waiting was…was…oh! She couldn't even come up with a word that was strong enough!

Throwing back her covers, she put on her robe, grabbed his bag of books & headed furiously out of her room.

**

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**

AN: Uh oh, Matt's gonna be in big trouble. Let's see what happens in the next chapter. Don't for get to review!

**Kari-heartily** – I'm gonna tell you this, it will end up in a very happy ending! Keep R&R! **Janay** – thanks! I do try my best. **Angel** – hey, how's it going? It's been a while since I last heard from you. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about that one. **Hesitate** – I'm glad you like both my stories. Thanks! **PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2** – you know, you're one of my loyal readers. Thanks so much!


	16. Chapter 16

This chapter includes the dinner scene, where Matt & Mimi go to Sora's place for dinner & Matt clear things up and…oh! I better not ruin it for you guys. Just read & find out! Thanks for the reviews again!

_**Chapter Sixteen**_

Matt poked around the hall closet but came up with nothing. What the devil happened to his bag of books? Had he left it at the mall? Perhaps he left them on the…

He straightened & turned around when he heard footsteps thudding down the stairs. He saw Mimi come to an abrupt halt on the bottom step. She was wearing her pink robe & her cheeks were so pink she looked as if she was about to explode. And it looks like she was going to explode at him. _What the devil had he done now?_

"I thought," he said, "you were going straight to be…" He broke off abruptly as she held out a bag. _Uh-oh._

"These are yours," she snapped. "I brought them down just in case you wanted to read the Grisham book."

The Grisham book wasn't the problem, neither was the mom-to-be book, which he planned to give her anyway. But the other one…dammit, that one _was_ a problem.

"Thanks." He walked over to take the bag but even as he grabbed it he felt the hostile vibes & backed away quickly out of her space. "I did plan on starting the Grisham…"

She turned around & started up the stairs again.

"Hold on," he called.

She stopped, but remained facing the stairs. Her body was rigid.

He cleared his throat. "This one…" he took the mom's handbook from the bag, "I bought for you."

She turned then & her cheeks were no longer pink but white. "And the other," she put a hand on the banister, "is for you?"

He grimaced. "Yeah," he said in an apologetic voice. "Yeah, that one's for me. What I was planning was…"

"That the two of us would sit cozily at night; getting ready for baby together?"

The sarcasm in her tone cut him like a scalpel slash. "No, not exactly, actually I didn't mean you to see it. I planned to study it so I can find out how I could help you in the coming months. I don't want you to go through this alone, Mimi."

All of a sudden, the fire seemed to go out of her. "Matt," wearily she shook her head. "I am going to go through this alone. I want to go through it alone. And I am totally capable of going through it alone. So the best thing you can do is return that book & get your money back."

"Will you accept the one I bought for you? Unless that is…maybe you already have enough baby books?"

"No," she said grudgingly. "I don't have any, well…not yet. I've been meaning to get some, but…"

"Then will you take it?"

Sighing, she said, "Matt, you really have to stop buying stuff for me."

"But you'll take it, right? Please?"

After a hesitation, she said quietly, "I suppose it would be foolish of me to refuse." She took the book when he handed it out to her & clasped it over her chest. "Thank you." She smiled unexpectedly. "It's really kind of you."

He felt as if he was the one getting a gift. A smile from her was more precious to him than anything he could think of at the moment. "So…" he smiled back at her, "friends again?"

Amusement twinkled in her eyes. "Absolutely! Good night, Matt!"

"Sweet dreams." He watched her as she walked up the stairs, her brown hair like a swathe of satin against her pink robe, & waited there till she disappeared across the landing.

Then he walked across the foyer & into his study, closing the door behind him before moving over to take a seat on his swivel chair. Leaning back, he set his feet on the desk, & from his plastic bag he drew out his new hardback copy of _A Handbook for the Dad-To-Be._ Opening it at the beginning, he started to read.

**

* * *

**

Rain fell through the night, just enough to freshen the air & the countryside. When Matt came back from his morning jog, he found Mimi outside, cutting white roses from a rambler by the door.

"Hi," he said breathlessly, "great day isn't it?"

"Mmm." She put a hand up to shade her eyes from the sun. "Do you jog every single morning?"

"Yup, like clockwork. How about you?" he ran lightly on the spot.

"No, I prefer to walk."

"Haven't seen you do much of that since you got here."

"No, I've been too nauseated in the mornings & then it's been too hot in the afternoons. But I know I should be walking."

She certainly should. That was one of the things he read in his baby book last night. "Early evening would be a good time," he said. "It's a bit cooler by then."

"I suppose."

"Tell you what," he said, "we'll start taking a walk together after dinner. My workload's been strenuous lately & I find my stress builds up during the day. It would do me good, too, to get out & have a walk in the evening."

"We won't be able to walk _this_ evening." She snipped one last delicate fragrant rose & turned toward the back door. "We'll be over at Sora's."

"That's no problem." He opened the door & stepped aside to let her walk by. "We can take the kids for a walk to the park after we eat dinner. Sora & I always do."

**

* * *

**

"_Sora and I."_ The casual way Matt had paired the two of them together stayed with Mimi as she arranged the dainty roses in one of her mother's crystal bud roses; and it stayed with her for the rest of the day. And it felt like her heart was bitten by a mouse. It also felled her with frustration…frustration with herself.

She didn't want Matt, but yet she couldn't _stop_ wanting him. And how mixed up was that! But she'd been mixed up about the man ever since she'd set eyes on him again. Her only hope was that once he was married, she'd be able to look at him without aching to be in his arms. And surely, once he was married, he'd stop looking at her as if he wanted the exact same thing!

**

* * *

**

As they drove to Sora's that evening, she could sense that he was in a bad mood. She snuck a peek at him & saw that his face was set in brooding expression. He barely spoke a word to her since he came striding into the house half an hour ago.

All that he said then was, "Sorry I'm late, client form hell. Meeting went longer than I expected. Give me ten minutes…" And then he shot off the stairs.

When he came running down again, she waiting in the front hall. He showered & shaved & changed into a crisp white shirt & khaki shorts, but he still wore that rugged look he had when he arrived home.

"Ready?" he said tersely, & without further ado, he ushered her out to the car.

The drive to Sora's took ten minutes & during that time neither of them spoke. Only when he drew up in front of a cream stucco house did he ay, unnecessarily, "Here we are.'

"I can see," she said lightly, "that you are going to be a charming company tonight."

About to open his car door, he paused & looked around at her. "Sorry?"

She leveled a cool gaze at him. "I know you don't want me to be here. You couldn't have made that plainer, but the feeling is entirely mutual. Playing gooseberry isn't my idea of a fun night out! So…"

"Gooseberry?" he glowered at her. "What the hell are you talking about?"

She just melted every time she looked at him, & right now, it seemed that he wanted him more. "I know," she said, her voice low, "that you & Sora are…"

"We are what?" he demanded. "Sora & I are what?"

"Well…" she turned away from him & reached for her door handle, "I know that the two of you are going to be married." The words almost choked her. She fumbled for the handle but couldn't seem to find it. And as she wiped her forearm across her eyes, she felt him grab her wrist.

"Who the hell," he rasped, "told you that?"

Mimi's breath caught as she stared into his fierce green eyes. He was obviously very angry with her…but she was even angrier with herself. Sure, Sora assumed that she & Matt were serious about each other, but no engagement had yet been announced. Perhaps Matt haven't proposed yet…& if he planned to do it tonight, which she thought was his intention, he certainly wouldn't do it now, with her sitting there like a lump of a log.

"Matt I…" She didn't get the chance to finish because just then, her car door was opened from outside.

Matt released her wrist instantaneously & drew back from her. Feeling dizzy, Mimi turned toward the open door & saw Sora smiling down at her.

"Hi, there, we've all been waiting for you. It's great to see you, Mimi! Come along inside."

Mimi somehow managed to return Sora's smile & somehow managed to keep it in place as she got out of the car & stepped into Sora's welcoming hug.

"Sorry we're a bit late," Matt said, as he walked around the car to join them. "I got held up at the office."

"Oh, sweetie, that doesn't matter!" Sora turned to greet him. Setting her hands on his shoulders, she raised herself on her tiptoes & planted a kiss on his jaw. "You're here & that's what counts!"

They all walked up the driveway & were almost at the front door when the boys came running out. Yelling, "Hi, Uncle Matt!" they threw themselves upon him & with a chuckle, he swung them both up in turn.

"Hey, guys, what have you been up to?"

"I beat my teacher at chess today," Tom-tom announced as he hung onto Matt's arm. "And I got a free hot dog!"

"Good for you," Matt said. "Way to go, kiddo!"

"And Yolei won a baseball bat in the hospital lottery!" TJ danced backward along the path in front of them. "And she gave it to me! Cool, right?"

"Really cool!" Matt paused as they reached the trellised archway at the door. "Boys, you haven't met Ms. Tachikawa…"

Mimi broke in. "Matt, they don't need to be so formal. Mimi is fine."

So Mimi it was. And after a few moments' initial shyness, the boys accepted her happily in their midst. Once inside, they insisted she see their rooms & with a laugh, she allowed herself to be led off, while Sora & Matt headed for the kitchen.

The boys' rooms were bright & air, with posters on the walls & trophies & toys scattered on every surface. Tom-Tom had a hamster called Ray in a cage by the closet; TJ had a sleek gray cat called Slim that was curled up on his bed. The window was wide-open & Mimi could see a small backyard filled with pretty flowers.

"Boys!" Sora's voice drifted through. "Wash your hands; we're going to eat now!"

The boys scurried into the bathroom together & Mimi wandered through to the kitchen. She found Matt leaning against the sink; a beer can in his hand, while Sora was took a deliciously-smelling lasagna out of the oven.

Matt didn't notice her. He was staring at his beer can & seemed lost in his thoughts…and those thoughts made him scowl. She cleared her throat & he raised his head sharply. Then she saw him deliberately raise his eyebrows to wipe away the scowl.

"Oh, hi," he said pleasantly & put down his can. "What do you want to drink?"

"Oh, I guess a glass of soda."

"I have some chilled cranberry juice." Sora blew back a wisp of hair & put the lasagna dish on a cork mat on the counter. "Or iced tea?" She pulled back a chair at the long kitchen table. "Sit here, Mimi."

"Cranberry juice would be great. Thanks, Sora."

"Matt, would you pour a couple of glasses?" Sora took five plates from the warming drawer. "I'll have some, too."

It was obvious by the way Matt moved around the kitchen that this was like a second home to him. It was so obvious to Mimi that something was bothering him. But what could it be?

She didn't think he was still angry with her. And she didn't think he resented her being there. In fact, after he set her glass of cranberry juice on the table, he placed a hand lightly on her shoulder; let it linger for a moment, his fingertips warm on her nape, before moving away again.

The gesture had been reassuring & comforting. But…why did he do it? What was going on?

**

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**

Matt wished he could spill out his problems to Mimi, but she was the last person he could tell…for now. Once he had everything sorted out, then he could explain. Hoping no one noticed his distracted mood, he tried to concentrate his attention on his food & on the conversation going on around him; but it was difficult because all he could think of was the conversation he accidentally overhead earlier in the office.

He arranged to meet a client for lunch, but at the last minute the client had called to cancel, so he decided to work through the lunch hour. He got up to look for a file in the cabinet by his door, & at first when he heard Yolei chatting on the phone, he paid no attention. Not until he heard his own name did his ears pick up.

**Flashback**

"…and the kids are crazy about Matt, too. Anyway, there'll be a wedding soon, Sora's sooooo excited, but don't tell a soul because Matt hasn't popped the question yet, but according to Sora, he's working on it & any day now…"

Jaw hanging open, Matt stood frozen & wondering if his senses are working right.

"…so that's all the news I have for now," Yolei said with a chuckle. "And anyway, I have a dentist's appointment in five minutes so I have to dash. Talk to you tomorrow."

Seconds later, he heard Yolei leave her desk, open then shut the door to the street. And silence reigned in the office again, except for the frantic thudding of his heart & the blood pounding in his ears.

**End of Flashback**

Sora thought he was going to _propose_ to her? Where on earth did she get that idea? And how many people had she told? Yolei believed it, Mimi believed it…for all he knew, everyone in town believed it.

He suppressed a groan. Now, when he told Sora she'd been laboring under a delusion…as he planned to do this evening before Mimi had been invited along…she might think that he was dumping her because Mimi had come back into his life, whereas nothing could be further from the truth.

"Matt?" Sora's voice was concerned. "That was a mighty heavy sigh. Is something wrong?"

He blinked & saw they were all looking at him. Somehow he managed a rueful laugh. "I'm just thinking about work. Sorry, folks, I'll try to do better!"

And he did. He joined in the conversation & after dinner when they all went to the park, he played ball with the boys before taking Mimi & Sora for a walk…the walk he promised Mimi that morning.

They returned to the house around nine, & as soon as they got inside, the boys dragged him to the basement to see a project they've been working on. After a few minutes, he went upstairs again while they stayed behind.

He found Sora in the kitchen. "Where's Mimi?" he asked.

"In the bathroom," she chuckled. "I well remember those frequent trips during pregnancy. One of the joys…"

"And another of the joys, apparently, is feeling tired in the evening. I'm going to take Mimi home now."

"You're going so soon?" Sora didn't hide her disappointment. And when he saw her crestfallen expression, he realized it was imperative that he set the record straight without delay, before any more damage was done.

"Yeah, but I want to talk to you…privately. Can I come back…once you've put the boys down for the night?"

She brightened u immediately. "Of course, I'll be putting them to bed in about half an hour. I'll expect you when?"

"Around ten."

With eyes sparkling, she murmured, "We can sit out on the porch swing; it's a beautiful evening, & a full moon, too!" She touched his cheek & looked up at him tenderly. "I'll look forward to it, honey."

Mimi chose that moment to come back into the kitchen. She stood in the doorway, her eyes dark & her face pale.

Matt felt an awkward tension in the air, & to break it he said, "You look tired, Mimi. I'm going to take you home."

She grimaced. "I'm sorry to be such a party pooper, but yes, I would like to go now if you don't mind."

On the way back to Laurel House, she was quiet. And Matt, worriedly trying to figure out the least hurtful way to tell Sora she misread his intentions, made no effort to draw her out of her silence. But once they got home, before Mimi went upstairs, she apologized again for breaking up the evening.

"I truly am sorry, Matt. I know Molly expected us to stay longer & she did go to so much trouble and put on a lovely dinner."

"Its okay, Meems, I'm going back over there."

"Then I'll see you in the morning. Good night, Matt."

"Good night," he said softly, trying to suppress a smile when she didn't object about calling her 'Meems'. But as he turned away, his thought had already turned back to Sora, as he wondered how she was going to react when he told her that he saw her only as a friend.

**

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AN: So I guess now you all know what Matt really feels about Sora…she's just a friend & nothing more. I bet all of you are happy to know that, huh? Well, I am happy too! Yay! Don't forget to leave a review!

**xObuNnIi** – you're very welcome! I'm glad you like it! Keep R&R! **Koumi** – whatever! **Riven** – it's good to know that you're so into this story. **PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2** – thank you, thank you! (takes a bow)…I do try to keep updating as often as possible, but there's only a couple more chapter in this story (4 or 5 more chapters left!)


	17. Chapter 17

Okay, people, there are only three or four more chapters in this story, that's why I'm giving you the chance to read this chapter & I'm sure you guys will love this! It's a pretty long chapter (actually, it's the longest yet!) and it's a Mimi & Matt scene. You will also find out what happened between Matt & Sora when he went back to talk to her…and there will be a little bit of kissing...ooops! I shouldn't have said that. Well, what are you waiting for? Go ahead & read it! Enjoy!

_**Chapter Seventeen**_

Mimi found Matt already in the kitchen when she went downstairs the next morning. She greeted him with a cheery "Hi." And then because the kitchen door was wide-open, she walked over & looked out. The sky was dazzling blue & cloudless, and the white roses clambering up the red brick wall gave off a heavenly fragrance.

"It's going to be another lovely day," she said as she turned back into the room.

Matt was putting a pot of tea on the table, along with a rack of whole wheat toast. "Yeah."

He already had his morning run & his golden hair still glistened from his shower. He looked dynamic & really handsome in green t-shirt & black pants, but she saw that his eyes were strained.

"Sit down," he said. "Would you like boiled egg? Or maybe a…"

"No, thanks, tea & toast is fine. I'm not very hungry, anyway. I think I had too much of Sora's delicious lasagna last night." She took her seat & as she arranged the folds of the pink cotton shirt she was wearing over her new white capri pants, she said, in a deliberately offhand tone, "I didn't hear you come in last night. Were you late?"

"No."

His tersely spoken response made it obvious he didn't want to discuss it so Mimi changed the subject. "You're not forgetting my doctor's appointment at ten-thirty?"

"No."

"Are you planning to go in the office for a while & then come back for me?"

"No, I have things to do here."

Conversation over breakfast was little. His mood was as sour as it had been on the way to Sora's the night before, so she let him be. After they'd eaten & arranged their dishes in the dishwasher, he excused himself.

"I'm going to be working out back. If I'm not in by ten, give me a shout." And with that he took off.

Mimi had never known Matt to be moody, & as she went upstairs, she wondered what on earth was going on between him & Sora.

She was in the bathroom brushing her teeth when she heard a series of thudding sounds coming from the backyard below. Peeking out the window, she saw Matt over by the garden shed. There was this big dummy bag & Matt, with his taekwondo skills, was attacking it like a madman as if the dummy was a mortal enemy.

Mesmerized, Mimi stared at him. Whatever emotion was hounding him, it seemed like he was using this violent exercise in an effort to work it out. She watched him for a few minutes longer & then, with a sigh, she moved away from the window. She hated to see Matt so upset, but whatever his problem was, it had nothing to do with her; so although he continued to hit the dummy with ferocious kicks & punches right up until ten o'clock, she didn't look out at him again.

**

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**

"Everything's fine," Dr. Joe said after he examined Mimi. "And you're feeling better? You've had total rest?"

"Yes, & Matt's treating me as if I was royalty. He didn't even allow me to do any driving," she added with a laugh, "the past couple of weeks."

"Well, if you get the chance to be a lady of leisure, I advise you to take it. But you're okay to drive yourself around…as long as you feel comfortable in it."

"Oh, don't worry, my car's pretty comfortable." Mimi got up from her chair. "It was bequeathed to me by my mother's best friend…it was the only time in her life that Melissa had ever splurge on anything, but she bought it when she retired & she absolutely adored her little Porsche. And we had many happy trips in it so it means a lot to me…that's why I had it shipped here. I didn't want to leave it in New York & I wouldn't sell it for anything, so I decided to transfer it here before leaving New York City."

"That must be the reason." The doctor accompanied her to the waiting room." Driving a car after a long flight is pretty dangerous, Mimi."

She gave a long sigh & nodded.

"Matt's not here with you?" he glanced around the room.

"He parked across the street at his office. I'm going to meet him there & he'll be the one to drive me home."

"Make an appointment to see me again in two weeks. In the meantime, take care."

When Mimi went out to the street a couple of minutes later, after the air-conditioned clinic, the heat hit her like a blast from a 500 degree oven. The sun was blistering hot & by the time she crossed the street, she could feel perspiration gathering on her brow.

But as she stepped onto the sidewalk, her attention was caught by an arrangement of flowers outside a nearby flower shop. So instead of going directly to Matt's office, she headed for the colorful shop.

After browsing for a while, she selected a pink-blossomed hibiscus plant set in a heavy ceramic pot. As she paid for it, she said to the clerk, "Can you keep it for me? I'll have someone drop by & pick it up."

Leaving the flower shop, she made her way into Matt's office building & smiled at Yolei, who glanced up as she heard the door open.

"Hi," Mimi said cheerfully. "Is Matt in his office?"

The receptionist snapped, "Yes, go in." And turning her back, she busied herself with some files.

_Well, wasn't she in a mood about something!_ Making a small face at Yolei's back, Mimi walked over to Matt's door. After a quick knock-knock, she walked in. But here, the atmosphere was just as tense. When Matt looked up from his desk, his features were set in a scowl.

"Oh," he said, "it's you." And though he at least attempted to smile, it didn't reach his eyes. He got up & came around the desk. "So, how did it go? Is everything okay?"

"Yes, everything's fine." Was it _her_ fault that he, & Yolei, was in a bad mood? She could see how it might irritate them both, that she was breaking into their busy schedule. "Matt, I'm sorry to have taken up your time this morning. I know how busy you are & the last thing you need is to see me coming into your office and…"

"Mimi, believe me, seeing you is the _only_ good thing that has happened today." He reached for her hand & steered her unceremoniously to the door. "Let's get out of here."

Mimi hurried to keep up with his long stride. As they crossed the foyer, Matt said, "Yolei, I'll be out the whole afternoon. Call me if you need me."

The woman glanced up from her files & Mimi was astonished to see her throw her boss an even icier look than the one she'd given Mimi. "Will do." Yolei's tone was frigid, her head already bent again over her files.

Mimi heard Matt swear under his breath. And she felt him grip her arm even more tightly as he led her out to the street & along the sidewalk toward his car.

Passing the flower shop, she was reminded of her purchase & indicating the store, she said, "By the way, Matt, I bought a plant in there for your mother. It's a small gesture of appreciation for her kindness. Could you pick it up when it's convenient & deliver it for me?"

"Elena's gone for the weekend," he said in a distracted tone, "but sure, I'll drop it off. In fact…" he changed direction & guided her toward the shop's entrance, "we may as well do it now."

They collected the plant, which Matt set on the floor in the back of the car so as not to disturb the blossoms. Then he drove along Main Street, & down Fourth Avenue, and through a narrow road that ran along the river to the east end of town. When he made a left onto a path lined with cherry trees, Mimi said, "Your mother still lives in the same house, after all these years?"

"Yeah, but it was rented before. Now it's all hers." Matt kept his eyes front as he swept the Honda onto a single driveway & pulled the vehicle to a stop. "Her landlord moved out of town four years ago, & he gave Elena the option to buy it. She always liked the place, so she jumped at the chance & bought it."

"You liked it, too, I remember." Mimi's gaze took in the modest yellow house, with its white picket fence & its tidy green garden filled with petunias & orange poppies. "You always said that although you & your mom never had much money, she knew how to make a house a home."

"Yeah, she did."

Matt still seemed distracted & Mimi looked at him properly. "Matt, I hate to see you so upset. I really am sorry to be eating all of your time."

He turned in his seat. "Mimi, you're _not_ eating my time. I didn't plan on going back to the office anyway. I am going to drive you home & I intend to stay & have lunch with you. There's also something I need to tell you."

"What happened, Matt? I couldn't help noticing that your receptionist was very…unfriendly…to me just now."

He didn't swear again, but she sensed that he wanted to. "Not only to you, but to me, too." His eyes were hard. "It's a mess, Mimi, a freakin' mess." He shook his head irritably. "Let's get this plant into the house and then we'll go out back & have our talk there."

Containing her impatience to hear his story, Mimi followed him up the steps to the door & into the house. Matt went first, carrying the plant, & Mimi followed him into a small, attractively furnished sitting room.

There was a perfect spot for the hibiscus by the bay window. After Matt had set it down, he stood back. "There," he said, "will that do?"

"Yes, that's great. Thanks, Matt." Mimi glanced around. On the coffee table were piles of _Good Housekeeping_ magazines, a couple of mystery paperbacks & a bowl of potpourri that gave off a powdery perfume. "Won't Elena mind you bringing me here," she asked, "while she's not at home?"

"Of course not, when I tell her we were here, she'll wish she could've been home so she could make you some tea. Would you like some tea now?"

"No, I'm fine." Mimi's gaze moved to a glass-door bookcase, but instead of holding books, it was crammed with trophies…Taekwondo & Academic trophies.

She moved over & crouched down in front of them. "I had no idea you had so many."

"The taekwondo ones are mine & the others are TK's."

"Yes, but still…" Her gaze flickered from trophy to trophy to trophy…

"Mimi," he spoke curtly. "Let's go outside."

She knew that he'd given up taekwondo because he'd been badly beaten, but she still didn't know how it happened, or who the woman he was fighting over. There was no point in asking him. He wouldn't tell her. But one day, she might ask Elena.

In the meantime, she pushed it to the back of her mind, & went with Matt through a galley-style kitchen and out to a private backyard with a six-foot high fence, three apple trees, hanging baskets dangling from hooks under the low eaves…and, to Mimi's great surprise, a swimming pool with sparkling blue waters & a blue-and-white tiled apron.

"Matt, I didn't know you had a pool! I was never in this house before, of course, but I don't recall you ever saying you had one…"

"We didn't have a pool here when I was growing up. My mother's landlord put it in five years ago. He planned on moving into this house when he retired & his wife loved to swim. But she died before they could make the move, & he decided to relocate to another city. Elena didn't really want a pool…it's a lot of work, but I take care of it for her. And I actually use it more than she does!"

"It looks tempting right now!" Mimi said excitedly, & tugged her shirt away from her back as she felt it sticky with perspiration. "This is the hottest day we've had so far."

"You fancy a swim?"

She turned startled eyes to Matt. "Oh, no, I…"

"Elena keeps an extra couple of swimsuits when friends drop by."

"No, Matt, I don't think…"

"Oh, come on, it'll do us both good to cool off."

"I thought you wanted to talk to me.'

"I do, but it can wait."

She looked at his strained face & tired eyes. And she wanted to smooth the frown lines on his brow; wanted to kiss his worries away. Instead she told herself to smarten up, because inviting him to intimacy was the very last thing he should be doing. She did want to see his tension eased, though, & if a swim would help, then…

"Okay," she said, "if you can find a swimsuit that could fit me."

He was away for about four minutes & when he came back, he was wearing only a pair of black swimming trunks. _Uh-oh_, Mimi thought, _this was a huge mistake._ She would just have to make sure to stay at the opposite end of the pool from him once she got in the water.

He held out a handful of colorful swimsuits. "Here," he said. "This should keep you decent."

_Decent_, Mimi mused wryly as she saw her refection in Elena's bathroom mirror, was not the word she would have used to describe how she looked in the miniscule bikini. Her breasts grew bigger with her pregnancy & her hips were more rounded, so her figure, which she normally thought of as "slim," now seemed positively voluptuous & sexy!

And she wasn't about to let Matt feast his eyes on it. The last thing she wanted was to provoke him, so she grabbed a towel & wrapped it around herself before she went back outside. But Matt was already in the water & swimming away from her, so she was able to throw off the towel & get into the pool without being noticed.

She started swimming lengths, & it was glorious. The water felt like silk. Once she regained possession of Laurel House, she would have to think about having a pool put in. She swam & dreamed & counted lengths. She was at the deep end when she finished her tenth and she grasped the lip of the pool & took a deep breath.

Matt surged to the surface right beside here & planted a big hand on the tiled apron, just inches away from her own. He grinned at her…a flash of white teeth, a dazzle of ocean blue eyes…and she felt herself grow weak with the intimacy of his smile…of him…of his closeness.

And she realized with a feeling of dismay that instead of worrying in case her voluptuous figure might arouse Matt, she should have been worrying about the effect he had on her!

"So," he drawled, "how was it?" His hair was plastered to his brow and beads of water streamed down his nose & around his mouth & down over his chin. She wanted to reach out & follow their path with her fingertip; she wanted to sway toward him in the luxuriously sensuous water & slide against his body.

"It was lovely." Her voice came out breathlessly & she hoped he'd put it down to the exertion of her swim. "Actually, it's blissful."

"Blissful it is," he murmured. "Odd," he went on amusedly, "I've been using this pool for years & it's never been this…blissful…before."

He was flirting with her. It seemed harmless, yet Mimi felt a sexual tension between them that was anything but harmless. They were alone here, half naked, and the physical attraction between them had always been undeniable.

"Maybe you've never been so stressed-out before," she said lightly. "And then it's so very hot today, you're appreciating the water more than usual."

"Yeah, that could be it. Or…" the intensity of his gaze arrowed right into her soul, "it could be that swimming with the most beautiful woman in the world is what makes it so blissful."

"Ah, how foolish is the male species!"

"Why would say that?"

"Didn't you tell me that you had once lost a fight over the most beautiful woman in the world & instead of winning the woman, you got this!" She tapped his slightly crooked nose. "And this!" She ran the tip of her index finger over the thin scar on his lip…but before she could drop her hand, he grabbed her wrist roughly & held it.

Jolted, she shot her gaze to his eyes & saw that his expression was no longer amused, but hard.

"Foolish isn't something I care to be called, Mimi."

"Then you ought to be more careful on how you label your lovers! You can't have two who were both, to you, the most beautiful women in the world!" Haughtily she glared back at him. "Now can you!"

"No, Mimi, I can't & I didn't. You are…and always have been, to me…the most beautiful woman in the world. That other woman, the one I loved & lost so many years ago, was you."

"Matt, I…"

"I don't want to get into this right now." Matt swore silently. Sheer pride made him say as much as he had. But hearing Mimi call him "foolish" had been too much for him to take. He had never been unfaithful to her.

She snatched her wrist free from his grip. "You can't say something like that & just leave it!" she said. "You haven't even told me who you were fighting with!"

"It's in the past, Mimi. It's the present that matters. And that's what I need to talk to you about." He grabbed the lip of the pool & pulled himself out of the water & stood on the tiled apron. Bending over toward her, he held out a hand. "Come on out…"

But she ignored his help. She swam away for the far end of the pool with long elegant strokes. Climbing up the ladder, she crossed the patio & scooped up her towel. Tipping her head to one side, she started to dry her hair.

He walked around the pool toward her. _Decent?_ He thought the pink bikini would keep her _decent?_ Huh! She would probably look more decent naked, because the pink fabric made what was hidden seem more tantalizingly erotic. He felt himself becoming aroused & decided he'd better make a quick retreat.

He walked past her, heading for the patio door. "I'll be back in a minute," he said over his shoulder. "Want something to drink?"

"Maybe a glass of iced water?"

He stayed inside till he had himself under control. When he went out again, the white towel was lying crumpled on a chaise & Mimi was tucking a cosmetic bag in her purse. Her hair was smooth, curving downward over her tanned shoulders & ending in two fans over her breast.

She looked delicate as a fairy, yet her eyes, as they fixed on him, were to wordly-wise to be fairy's eyes. And they watched him warily as he approached with her water.

"Thanks," she said, taking several sips from the glass before setting it down on the patio table.

"Let's sit over here." He led her to a bench under one of the apple trees. "It'll be cooler in the shade."

Brushing a few dead leaves from the white-painted wood, he indicated that she should sit down. She did, but he did not. For what he was about to say, he preferred to remain standing. She looked up at him questioningly…and waited. He always liked that about her, that she could live with silence, that she knew when to speak & when no to.

"Now that I finally have you here," he said with a self-derisive laugh, "I don't have a clue where to start."

"Then why not start at the end," she said teasing him. "And work your way back."

"That might be a good idea. Okay." He took a deep breath. "Sora doesn't want to see me again."

Mimi's eyes clouded, but other than that, her expression gave nothing away. "I don't need to ask how that made you feel," she said quietly. "I've seen how upset you've been, since your visit last night. Is there any chance you can patch things up with her?" Mimi frowned suddenly. "But why doesn't she want to see you again? I thought…it certainly seemed to me…that Sora was crazy about you!"

"I guess," Matt said, "starting at the end isn't really going to work. Let me fill you in on the background." He told Mimi of the promise he made to his best friend, Tai & told her of his efforts to live up to that promise.

"What I didn't realize was that Sora misread all my intentions. She somehow got the impression that I…was in love with her, & she said as much to several people. Word got out that I was working my way to propose & when I discovered that, I knew I had to set the record straight. That's why I went back to see her last night."

"And you told her…"

"I told her I only thought of her as a friend. She was hysterical, I had a hell of a job trying to calm her down…and then in the end she went frighteningly cold & quiet & she told me she never wanted to see me again."

Mimi didn't say anything for a long moment, & then she said, "I'm really sorry you've had this misunderstanding with Sora, Matt. But…it's a private affair between the two of you. Why…are you telling me about it?"

"Because you're involved."

"Me? But…how?"

"Sora thinks that everything would have gone the way she expected it to go on…if you hadn't come back here. She believes that I've dumped her for someone else. And she believes that that someone else is you."

He could see the dismay in Mimi's eyes. She lurched to her feet. "But it's not true, Matt. I've never done anything to come between the two of you. I've told you already that I no longer find you attractive! Can't you tell her that? At least, if she knew there was nothing between us, she might begin to accept that she had misread all your kindness to her & her family?"

"I can't say it, Mimi."

"Why not?" she demanded fiercely. "If it's true, why won't you tell her?"

He shook his head. "But it's not true, is it?" he said softly. "It'll never be over, between you & me."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Matt, how many times do I have to tell you…"

"What _you_ tell me & what your _eyes_ tell me are two different things."

She turned away from him but not before he'd seen a tear spill over & trickle down her cheek. With a groan, he caught her & whirled her around to face him. Then with his hands on her shoulders, he pulled her close to him. "Mimi," he whispered. "Oh, Mimi-chan…"

He kissed her then…and she didn't even try to resist. She melted against him & kissed him back with a passion that made his knees tremble. On & on they kissed, his fingers tangled in her hair, his head filled with the smell of chlorine, but his heart was filled with the joy of having her in his arms. When she finally drew back, her cheeks were flushed, lips swollen, & she was breathless.

"Tell me now," he said softly, "that you no longer want me."

She stepped back & came up against the trunk of the apple tree. "You know I can't." Her voice was shaky. "But I don't always take what I want."

"Even when it's freely offered?"

Numbly, she shook her head. "I told you, Matt. I'm on my own, & that's the way I like it. You'd be wise not to waste ay more time thinking things will never be the same between us as they once were. It'll never happen."

He could see, by the steely glint in her eyes, that he didn't have a hope of changing her mind. Not at this moment. But today he made a major step in the right direction: he kissed her & she kissed him back, & she admitted that she still wants him.

She was right at one point: things could never be the same between them again. And it was his hope that they could be even better. They were both older & they both knew that love wasn't enough; two people had to work at a relationship. And he intended to give it everything he had in his power to give. But he would take it slowly. One day at a time.

"I'm sorry," he said, "if I've upset you. But I'm not sorry for kissing you. There are some things…" he threw her a boyish grin to defuse the tension between them, "that a red-blooded guy has just gotta do when he sees a cute gal in a bikini! Now…" he grabbed her hand, & swinging it, led her up the lawn towards the house, "let's go home. I'm starving!"

As they drove back out to the street a few minutes later, Mimi said, "Matt, the night you took Sora to the dance, I heard you come in after four & I thought…"

"You thought…oh, you thought _that_! Uh-uh, Tom-tom was sick & he wanted me to stay, which I did." He sent her a teasing glance. "So…any other wicked thought?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Well…I saw a wispy lacy bra in your laundry one day, & I thought…"

"What a very busy…and naughty!...little mind you have, Miss Tachikawa." He chuckled. "It would have been my mom's. My mother often takes her laundry to the house & runs it through with mine. Anything more, princess?"

She shook her head, & then looked at him worriedly. "Matt, what are you going to do about Sora? Are you going to try & talk to her?"

He sobered. "She's hurt, humiliated, & angry. She's not ready to listen to anything I have to say."

"But…what about the boys? Won't they miss you?"

"The school term ends next week. Sora always takes them to Tai's parents' house for the first month of the summer holidays. Maybe by the time she gets back, she won't feel so…hostile toward me…and we can mend our bridges then."

**

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**

AN: Whew! I can't believe how long this came out. My fingers really hurt from typing this much. I hope you guys didn't get too bored from reading. It's a really great chapter coz Matt & Mimi finally revealed what they truly feel for each other, and I didn't want to delay or cut-out the good stuff from you guys coz I don't want to give cliffys & disappoint all of you. So PLEASE review! I wanna know what you think about this very very long chapter. Hehe! See you next week!

**Kairi-heartilly** – thanks for the review! **Riven** – don't worry, things are starting to get better for our favorite couple. **Koumi** – well, red represent blood & I don't like it. You know, a lot of people from around the world like the color blue, so it's not just _your_ color. **PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaN** – well, Sora will be pissed off, but she'll eventually come to her senses. I agree with you about the whole Sorato thing, but let's not be hater's okay. Even with our differences, we should respect each other. Yay! **Lysia Croft** – hey, guess what! I just read your fic last night & I think it's pretty cool! I hope you update soon! **Angel** – at least now you could just sit back, relax, & do whatever you want and not worry about school…then again, spring break only lasts for a week…(sigh)


	18. Chapter 18

Sorry for not updating sooner. I've been busy writing a new story. I'll tell you more about it next time, as of now I'm still working on it. Anyways, here's chapter 18. Enjoy!

**PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2** – I hope you had a nice trip. Thanks for being my #1 fan! **Riven **– I'm glad you like it! Keep R&R! **kairi-heartilly** – what's your native language? **Koumi – **are you from the East or West coast? **Mrs.Ishida-to-you** – hi, great to have you here! What a coincidence that is! Mina & Elena! Hehehe! I hope you keep on reading.

_**Chapter Eighteen**_

Sora did leave the following week & she didn't contact Matt or Mimi before she left. Elena heard about it all on the grapevine & though she was sympathetic toward Sora, she assured Mimi that Matt had never treated Sora as anything other than a friend.

"She needed someone to depend on after Taichi died, & Matt filled that role. It's time she stood on her own. What she needs is to start working again, & what _you_ need to do, Mimi, is to stop concerning yourself about Sora and focus on getting ready for your darling baby!"

Mimi took Elena's advice & she found that the following weeks passed quickly. She kept well; saw Dr. Joe regularly, rested every afternoon, & walked after dinner every evening with Matt.

She looked forward to those walks, which had soon become the highlight of her day. They avoided talking about Laurel House & their upcoming battle over it. The only thing they ever argued about…& they argued about just once…was Mimi's refusal to attend Lamaze classes.

Matt brought the subject up one evening when they were strolling along a sun-dappled path that meandered through the woods behind the house.

**Flashback**

"Moms-to-be are supposed to take those classes," he said, "with a partner."

"I don't have a partner."

He raised an eyebrow. "I don't suppose you'd consider…"

"No! I would _not_ care to lie flat on my back with my belly in the air & you sitting cross-legged beside me, whispering sweet nothings in my ear in time to soothing music!" But despite her indignant rejection to his offer, she couldn't help smiling at the image it conjured up.

"You could go on your own, then. Just be part of the group. I'm sure there are other women who go on their own."

She watched a crimson-and-white butterfly flit up from a wildflower & disappear amid the leafy branches of an alder tree. "I'm not other women, Matt, & I don't like to join things! I like to be independent."

"But you'd learn how to relax."

"I _know_ how to relax. I read a book on relaxation last time & mastered the technique, and I practice it every afternoon when I lie down for my nap."

"But you'd also learn to breathe properly…"

"I know how to breathe properly!"

"…and how to pant & when to push…"

"How to _pant? When to push?_" she gaped at him incredulously. "Matt, did you keep that book…"

"Well, yeah, I did. Actually I find it very…"

"I don't believe this! I told you…"

"I know, but Mimi, I want to help." Intensity darkened his eyes to the deepest shade of blue. "You may not need my help, but I need to give it."

"Yes," she said with a sigh. "I know."

"And I think you know why."

"Yes, I know why." He wanted to redeem himself for letting her down when she told him she was expecting his baby. She knew he was sorry, but sorry wasn't enough. The scales were too unevenly balanced & nothing he could do now would ever tip his side up so it was raised to the level of what she suffered alone.

"Then please don't shut me out."

They stopped walking & a beam of sunshine slanted between two trees & gleamed like gold on his hair. He was so close that she could smell his unique male scent, as familiar to her now as it had been eight years ago. It still drew her in ways she didn't understand & it made her yearn to press her lips to his throat, & inhale his erotic scent…

"Meems?"

She was tempted…oh, so tempted to give in…to let him help her. It would feel so good to spill out her worries, to confess how afraid she was that something would go wrong with her pregnancy. But if she did, she would forfeit her independence.

"It's important to me," she said, "to take charge of my own life."

"I don't want to take charge of your life, I just want to help."

"The best way you can help out is to let me do things in my own way."

**End of Flashback**

He let the matter drop. And he didn't ever mention Lamaze classes again. But he continued to read his baby book. He didn't bother hiding it from her now. She would find it in places she least expected. One time it was in the laundry room, another time on the kitchen counter, once she even found it in the garage. But most of the time, it was on the coffee table in the sitting room & each time she saw it, he'd move his book marker onto a different chapter.

Curiosity had made her peek; & she noticed he was keeping pace with her pregnancy. She also noticed that he used a yellow highlighter to mark certain passages. One Saturday afternoon when she came down from her nap, she found the book lying open on the kitchen table. She glanced at it & saw he was reading the chapter entitled: _Preparing the Baby's Nursery_.

She poured herself a glass of milk & sitting at the table, pulled the book over. But before she could start reading, Matt came in from outside.

"Oh, hi," he said. "I see you're having a peek at my book. Good, I want to discuss something with you."

"What?"

"I know you want a purple-and-white nursery and…"

"How on earth do you know that?"

"I overheard you telling the clerk when I lined up behind you to buy the mobile that night when we went to the mall. So …what I want to know is, do you want the walls painted purple…or were you thinking the walls should be white & the blinds purple, or maybe the carpet…"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I've decided to turn that second guest room…the one Elena was working on…into a nursery for the new baby."

Mimi narrowed her gaze. "Does that mean you're planning to give up on fighting me for the house?"

"Heck no! But either way…whether the house is yours or mine…you'll be coming back here from the hospital, at least for a while, & you'll need a room for the baby. I figured that since the guest room is next to your bedroom, it'll make an ideal nursery. So…that takes me back to my question, white walls or purple? I've arranged it with Elena to do the painting at her own convenience."

Mimi hesitated, & then said, "I was planning to have the walls purple & have the blinds and curtains in glossy white. And I thought…perhaps a Disney border for the walls."

"How about buying that crib, the one with the mobile over it? It had Disney decals & would go nicely with your theme. I could drive over to the mall tomorrow & pick it up for you."

"Goodness, I'm not planning to buy the very first crib I see! Half the fun of buying stuff for a baby is browsing. And when I go shopping for the crib, I'll be looking at sheets, too, & blankets, and…all sorts of things."

"Can I ask you something personal?"

"Sure, but whether I answer depends on whether I mind the question!"

"Do you have enough money to buy everything? I mean, you haven't been working for months & your father didn't leave you anything."

"I earned good money in New York & I've saved enough to spend on this baby. I'm looking forward to going back to the mall. I'll make an outing of it."

"We'll make an outing of it together."

"Matt, men like shopping at places like Home Depot where they can stare at a box of nails for hours! Baby departments do not turn them on! If you were with me, you'd be following me around & I'd feel rushed."

"I'll go to the bookstore. Look," he went on quickly as she made to argue. "If you're planning a major shopping spree, you'll need me to carry everything. And you did say last time, that you appreciated having me as a chauffeur. Now," he glanced pointedly at the rounded bulge under her crisp shirt, "I should think you'd appreciate it even more."

"You," she said, "are s-o-o-o pushy."

"Yeah," he grinned. "That I am."

She thought of trailing around the department store for hours, her back probably aching even worse than it was regularly doing now, carting everything out to her car, & then facing the long drive home. She nibbled her lip. And he saw her uncertainty. "It would be better," he said coaxingly, "for the baby if I did the driving."

"I have to say one thing; you sure know how to press the right buttons! Okay, I'll let you do the driving. And thanks for the offer. What time shall we leave?"

**

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**

Mimi took an early nap the next day & they left for Crestville at two o'clock. When they arrived at the mall, they went directly to the Baby Department store.

Matt said, "Let's see if that crib is still here."

It was, & Matt seemed to have set his heart on it, Mimi mused. But as he inspected it, she moved on to look at the others on display. She decided the first one had been the nicest & she told it to Matt when she went back to him.

"So you'll take it? I talked to a salesperson & she said you can buy matching Disney borders at the paint shop at the corner end of the mall. I'll go get them while you carry on with your shopping."

"Where will we meet up?"

"I'll come back here, what time?"

"Give me till five o'clock."

He took off whistling, apparently enjoying himself as much as she was.

After asking the salesperson to set aside one of the boxed cribs & mattress, Mimi shopped eagerly. She ended up buying a couple of sets of purple-and-white bed linens & a package of diapers, six patterned blankets and four tiny undershirts, & the sweetest purple-and-white knit romper suit that she'd ever seen.

Time passed so quickly that when five came around, she noticed the time with a sense of shock. She paid for all her purchases, & just turned from the sales desk filled with packages, when she saw Matt approach.

"You look as if you've bought the whole store!" he said.

She laughed. "I warned you."

"Where's the crib?"

"We have to pick it up at the side entrance."

He took all the packages from her, except a couple of lighter ones. "So," he said as they walked along the mall, "how are you feeling?"

"Wilting, I'm afraid."

"Glad I came along?" he teased.

"Yes," she said sincerely. "I really am."

"Tell you what," he said as they walked outside, "let's have a bite to eat at Panda's later & then when we get home, you can put your feet up & relax."

**

* * *

**

They arrived home at seven-thirty. As they walked in from the car, Matt glanced down at Mimi. Her white shirt wasn't as crisp as it had been in the early afternoon & her khaki skirt was creased, but she still looked absolutely gorgeous. Her face was pale, though, & her eyes heavy.

"I hope," he said, "that you haven't overdone it."

"My back aches, but then it usually does!"

He unlocked the door & they went into the foyer. The house felt hot & stuffy, so he left the door open.

"Why don't you go out to the patio," he suggested. "It'll be nice & cool in the shade. Put your feet up & I'll bring you a cold drink after I put away all your purchases upstairs."

When he went outside a few minutes later, Mimi was lying back on a chaise, her forearm was over her eyes & her sandals were under the table. Her long hair spilled over the arm of the chaise in a cascade of shiny chestnut brown.

She was so still he thought she drifted off to sleep. But just then she made a _'tsking'_ sound & shifted her right leg impatiently, as if it was uncomfortable.

He set the glass of lemonade on the table. "Are you okay?"

She took her arm away & when she looked up at him, her smile was so sweet he felt his love for her well up inside him till he almost choked on it.

"It's so peaceful here," she said. "I'm almost ashamed to feel so lazy." She crinkled her nose. "The only thing that's spoiling it is my right leg. It's been cramping a bit."

He loved the way she crinkled her nose; it made him want to kiss it. Instead he crouched down on the foot of the chaise. "Here, let me."

He wrapped her slender foot in his hands & massaged it gently. She didn't resist or try to pull away. "Stretch out your leg," he murmured. She did and he held her toes & pressed the heel down. "Tell me when you feel the stretch in your calf muscle."

He worked on her for a few minutes, stretching her leg & massaging her foot, trying to concentrate on his task & not get distracted by the seductive smoothness of her skin or the sexiness of her pink-painted toenails.

"Thanks, Matt," she said when he finally released her & stood up. "That felt wonderful." She ran her fingers through her hair, & then gathering it back, tucked the long glossy tassels behind her ears. "Could you hand me my lemonade?"

"I'm going inside to exchange it for milk. If you're prone to having these cramps, you should be drinking more milk…or taking calcium tablets. It says so…"

"In your baby book." She shook her head, her expression amused. "You just don't give up, do you?"

"No," he said. "And I'm not going to. Whether you want my help or not, I plan on giving it to you until you have this baby safely in your arms."

He went inside. And as he poured Mimi a glass of milk, he realized he never felt this happy in months…no, in years. And yet, at the back of his mind, there was always a niggling feeling. It's because of Sora. She usually comes back from summer vacation at the end of July. It was now almost September, the schools would be starting next week, & she still hadn't returned home. He felt so bad that things turned out the way it had been for the two of them; how unfortunate it was that she misread his intentions.

"Matt?" Mimi walked into the kitchen in her bare feet. "What's wrong?"

"I was just thinking," he said, "about…" An abrupt knock on the back door interrupted him.

He said, "Who the heck could that be, on a Sunday night?"

Mimi gave a "beats me!" shrug & watched as he walked to the door. He opened it & blinked in surprise.

**

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**

AN: Okay, I know I said I didn't want to put cliffhangers...but sorry, I can't help it! You need a little bit of suspense every now & then, anyway. Who do you think is the mystery person at Matt's house? Is it Michael, who suddenly realizes that he can't live without Mimi? Or is it someone else? Come on, guys, take a guess! And don't forget to review!


	19. Chapter 19

Okay, this is the continuation of that cliffy, & you will also find out who the real _mystery person_ is...I give credit to those who already know who the mystery person is! For those who thought of Michael being the mystery person, I tell you he's TOTALLY out of Mimi's life. So no more seeing Michael in the following chapters coz he's totally out of the picture. On with the show people!

_**Chapter Nineteen**_

Mimi gave a "beats me!" shrug & watched as he walked to the door. He opened it & blinked in surprise.

"Sora!" Stunned, he stared at the redhead standing on the step, her hands thrust aggressively into the pockets of her beige slacks. "When did you get back?"

"Just this afternoon. Matt, I have something to say to you." She looked over his shoulder & a muscle twitched in her cheek when she saw Mimi. "Oh," she said. "You're here, too. That's good." She walked past Matt into the kitchen & whirled around to face him. "Because what I have to say concerns Mimi, too."

"Sora," Matt said sharply, "keep Mimi out of this. I don't want you to upset her; she's in no condition to be…"

"I'm not going to upset Mimi." Sora's voice trembled. "I promise."

"If you do, I'll…"

"Matt, I don't want to upset either of you. Actually…" she took in a very deep breath, "I've come to apologize, to say I'm truly sorry for the way I acted."

As Matt watched in astonishment, he saw tears well up in her eyes.

"The things I said," her auburn hair bobbed as she shook her head. "I've been stupid…& incredibly self-centered. After Tai died, I…well, I just felt so lost, & needed someone to lean on, and you were there for me. But I held on to you more & more, instead of learning to stand on my own two feet. You've been the best friend any woman could have & I think I went crazy for a while, imagining you were in love with me…and believing I was in love with you when what I really felt was affection & tremendous gratitude because you've done so much for me & my boys."

Sora turned to Mimi. "Mimi, I've been so unfair to you. I don't know if Matt told you this, but I blamed you for taking him away from me. Whatever's between the two of you, it has nothing to do with me."

Mimi started to say, "Sora, there's been nothing…"

"As I said, Mimi, it's not my business. I didn't come here to pry; I came here to apologize & to tell Matt that I'm going to do something I should have done before. I'm going back to work. I had a lot of time to think when I was at my parents-in-law's house, & I've decided to go back to work and be the best single mom I could ever be to my boys. Actually, I'm starting next week." She gave Matt a watery smile. "I'm actually looking forward to it!"

"But what about the boys?" he asked.

"My Mom offered to help out."

"Sora, that's wonderful. Congratulations!" He was about to embrace her, but hesitated, & then he said teasingly, "Is it okay if I give you a hug?"

"Oh, you can still hug me!" Sora gave a shaky laugh. "I won't think any more into it, I promise!"

So they hugged, & then Mimi and Sora hugged, & Mimi brushed back a few tears and Matt said how he was going to miss her & the boys.

"I'll visit whenever I can," he said. "And if ever you feel you & the kids need a break, just pop up for a holiday. You'll always be welcome."

Sora left soon after. "I need to get home," she said. "I have loads of stuff to do & I want to get started. Will you drop by soon, Matt, & visit the boys?"

He promised her he would.

Before Sora drove off, she said quietly, "I'll have a talk with Yolei, Matt. Before tomorrow night, she…and everyone else in town…will know just what a foolish woman I've been!"

Matt said, "Sora, you don't have to…"

"Oh, but I do." Sora's eyes had a determined glint. "I have to set the record straight."

After she drove away, Matt said to Mimi, "Thank god everything's sorted out."

"You've been worrying about her all summer, haven't you?"

"I felt I let Tai down. I took responsibility for his family & I screwed up…I caused Sora more grief."

"Don't blame yourself." Mimi had come out in her bare feet & now she felt the gravel bite into her soles as she made her way back across the front steps. "Sora was lonely, & vulnerable…it must have been easy, & comforting, for her to believe she was in love with you…and vice verse."

He chuckled. "She said she went crazy for a while & she must have been. With a handsome face like this, who wouldn't?"

"Oh, I don't know," Mimi said lightly. "It has a certain charm. It's possible that…ouch!" she yelped as a sharp stone bit into the ball of her foot. "Hey, that hurt! I should have put on my sandals!"

"Yeah, you should. But since you didn't…" Matt picked her up in his arms.

"Let me down, I'm far too heavy!"

"Heavy?" he rolled his eyes. "Sheesh, you weigh less than feather. I have you know that you're not fat. You only feel heavy because you have a cute little baby expanding in your tummy. So," he went on as he walked toward the house, "you think this face has a certain charm?" He sounded smug.

What she was thinking had nothing to do with charm, & everything to do with sex. She was thinking how virile he was & how feminine he made her feel. And how close her lips were to his throat, where she could see a pulse throbbing. She could also see beads of sweat on his chin & could sense how rough that dark-shadowed jaw would feel if she were to cup her palm over it.

"Most women do like men to _look_ like men," she said with an airiness she was far from feeling.

"I'm not interested in what most women like." He walked through the open kitchen doorway, swinging her sideways so she didn't hit the doorjamb. "I'm only interested in what _you_ like."

He came to a stop in the middle of the kitchen & looked down on her. She could see three flecks of silver in the center of his left eye, four in the right. She counted them while he held her hand against his fast-thudding heart.

"You can let me down now," she whispered. "I…"

He kissed her. Passionately. Possessively. Desperately.

She couldn't have fought him even if she wanted to, which she didn't. She was his for the taking.

His lips were warm, soft, seeking…demanding. And as his kiss deepened, although he gradually let her slide down to her bare feet, he still held her imprisoned in his arms. As if he thought she might try to escape.

Nothing was further from her mind. In fact, her mind had ceased to function. Excitement & need rushed through her with the violence of a tornado, a whirlwind that sucked away her caution & sent it to oblivion. She wrapped her arms urgently around his neck & kissed him back with such intensity, it aroused him to a point where he couldn't hide it. Nor did he try to.

A low moan came from between her parted lips…a moan that became a gasp as his tongue went in & sought out his mate, seducing it into a dance of desire that sent spirals of sensation sizzling to her core.

She tightened her arms convulsively around his neck & at the same time, took in his sexy manly scent. It filled her nostrils & aroused her so much it made her forget everything except this man & what was happening between them.

When he finally drew back, he was breathing hard, his cheeks were flushed & his eyes were filled with desire. "We can't do this," he whispered & pressed a trembling kiss to her forehead.

"Do what?" she asked dizzily.

"What we both want to do." He curved a hand around her neck, his fingertips slick at her nape. "Make love."

"But…"

"I didn't mean to go this far," his eyes made love to her, though his body didn't. "You have to be very careful. We don't want to do anything that might harm this baby."

Slowly, slowly, Mimi felt her delirium begin to fade, & as it did, she gradually came to her senses. Matt was right, she had to be very careful. She _wanted_ to be very careful. And thank heavens for his power of self-control, for if it was her, she'd have let him take her right there in the kitchen.

And now…she was embarrassed. And also angry with herself for letting him discover just how much of a slave she was to her desire for him.

"Matt, it won't happen again. I'm ashamed at the way I behaved just now…please put it down to hormones run amok because of my pregnancy. I'm not in the least interested in making love to you, & under normal circumstances…"

"Mimi, don't."

Taken aback by his pained tone, she gazed up at him. His eyes were serious & fixed on her steadily. "Don't what?"

"Don't dismiss what just happened. You can say you're not interested in me, or in making love to me, but if you believe it, then you're fooling yourself. As I've said before, princess, what we had between us will never be over. And what I'm saying now is I'm not going to make love to you…not now, not yet. But after your baby's born & you've had enough time to recover, I'll be knocking at your door again. You can count on it."

_Count on it? Count on him?_ She hadn't been able to count on him in the past. Why on earth would she be foolish enough to count on him now!

**

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**

AN: Sorry if this chapter's short. I promise to make it up to you & make the next chapter longer. There's only a couple more chapters left in this story, & hopefully it'll be finished by the end of the week. Don't forget to review!

**PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2, crescentmoon-cat** – thanks guys! Lol **Veronica** – you were actually right with Sora. You should've followed your instincts. Hehe! Keep R&R! **Riven** – sorry to burst your bubble, but it is Sora. You don't have to worry about her though, coz this will be the last time we see her.


	20. Chapter 20

First of all, since we're nearing the end of the story, I'd like to point out that this chapter is a little bit fast paced. So I do hope you guys could keep up. There will also be a surprise in store for you, & I'm pretty sure you, guys, will be ecstatic about it!

**Veronica** – thanks for the amazing review! You soo ROCK! Hehe! **Zionne** – you know, your name reminds me of the movie the Matrix. Hehe! Anyways, thanks for reviewing! **PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2** – actually, I mostly based it on this book I've read before & I type at least one chapter every night, so it's not that hard to update. Right now, I'm working on a new one. I could put you in my story if you could tell me your real name? **Angel** – yah, he bothers me everyday; saying mean stuff about Mimato. Hey! I've got a surprise for you in this chapter. **Janay**, **crescentmoon-cat, riven** – thanks so much, guys! It's good to know that every time I update, I see your names on the review list. Thanks you so much! Love you, guys!

_**Chapter Twenty**_

September passed. Elena spent more & more time at Laurel House, first of all painting the baby's room, & then just visiting Mimi. Matt's mother absolutely refused to let Mimi do the heavier housekeeping duties, so Mimi had to be content with taking over the dusting, the laundry, & cooking.

To Mimi's delight, Elena had been highly impressed with her culinary skills.

"What a fabulous meal!" the older woman said the first time Mimi invited her for dinner. "I haven't had salmon en croute in years, & it wasn't as half as good as yours. Where on earth did you learn to cook like that?"

"Melissa, my mother's best friend, was a home economics teacher. When I went to live with her, I couldn't even boil an egg. She was horrified, so she taught me everything she knew."

"Elena's right." Matt sat back contentedly in his chair. "You could cook your way into any man's heart." He gave her a teasing smile. "You've certainly cooked your way into mine!"

"Don't think," Mimi retorted, "that you can weasel you way back into my good books with flattery. It'll take more than a few overused compliments to make up for what you did yesterday!"

Elena cocked her ears. "What did you do, Matt?"

His lips twitched. "After I had the nursery carpeted, it looked bar with only the crib so I brought home a changing table, a nursing chair with purple cushion, and…"

"And the sweetest little teddy bear you've ever seen, Elena!" Mimi glared at Matt, & tried to look ferocious. "You just have to be one step ahead, don't you? You knew I was planning to buy those items when you saw me looking at them in the mall last week!"

"I have never," Elena said amusedly, "known two people who argue as much as you do!"

"Hey," Matt protested with mock-innocence, "it's not my fault. I think we all know who the bossy one around here is!"

Ignoring him, Mimi put her elbows on the table & leaned confidingly toward Elena. "I can't wait," she said, "for him to go away on his trip. He's getting to be a real pain in the ass."

"I know you'll miss me," Matt said confidently.

"Huh!" she said. "You wish!" But she knew, of course, that she would miss him. He was going to be leaving in a couple of weeks on his annual visit with his younger brother in Europe.

The day before he left, she walked into her bedroom & found him by the bed. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"I've just put a board under your mattress. It'll help you back, it says so…"

"In you baby book!" She threw up her hands. "What am I going to do with you?"

He stood up & pulled her close. "Why don't you do this?" He kissed her sweetly. "I guess…I'm just…a faster…reader…than you." He said between kisses. When he drawled back, he asked, "What chapter are you on?"

Mimi couldn't help but laugh. He was just so charming!

And when he returned from his trip, she felt a dizzying rush of love. And even though he looked like a castaway with his blonde hair shaggy & his jaw darkly bearded, she had no will to resist when he put his arms around her bulky, yet slender body, & gave her a prolonged hug.

Then he pulled back & looked at her, his eyes warm with affection. But when he noticed the brown patches on her skin & around her nose, he frowned. "What's this?" He ran a fingertip over the patches.

"It's nothing, just…"

"Oh, yeah." Understanding dawned in his eyes & she saw them twinkle. "Chapter Seven, page 192: 'Brown patches on face will go away after birth!'"

"Don't tell me you took that book with you on your trip!"

"No, didn't have to. I read an extra couple of chapters ahead before I left." His gaze dropped to her tummy, & he did a double take. "Hey," he said, pretending to be shock, "you're beginning to look like a circus tent!"

She frowned & protested indignantly…but when he took a small cobalt blue box from his pocket, her frown & protests trailed away.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Open it."

It was a pendant…a dime-size crystal case suspended on a fine gold chain. Inside was a mass of tiny golden flakes that glimmered. Mimi felt her eyes mist as she looked at it.

"TK & I went mining," he said casually. "What I found, I made up for you. Like it?"

"Oh, Matt, it's lovely. And you really sound this gold?"

"Yeah, took us a week to find this many." He made a tiny measuring gesture from his thumb & index finger. "Here, let me put it no for you."

Obediently she turned, stood with her head down, & scooped back her hair to give him access to her nape. He slipped the chain around her neck, & then concentrated on the delicate fastener. She felt her pulse jump as his fingers brushed her skin; felt her senses spring to life as she smelled his oh-so-familiar sexy male scent. How she missed him. Now that he was home, all she could think of was her aching desire to be in his arms.

"There," he said when he finally locked the fastener in place. "That's it."

About to turn, she felt his hands curve around her upper arms & felt his rough chin on the top knob of her spine as he brushed a slow kiss over her neck.

"I've missed you." His voice was husky. "If I could have," he said, turning her around to face him, "I'd have cut the trip short, but I know TK wouldn't appreciate that…"

"Why, Matt!" Elena's delighted voice came from the door way. "I didn't know you were back! How's your brother? Is he eating well? How was your trip?..."

Mimi's breath shivered out. She'd forgotten that Matt's mother was in the house. And Elena's timing couldn't have been worse, she reflected, with a feeling of wrenching disappointment. Being in Matt's arm had been bliss. She wanted to stay there forever.

But minutes later, as Elena bustled around in the kitchen making tea while Matt went upstairs to take a shower & shave; Mimi came to her senses and realized that the interruption had been for the best.

She certainly had missed Matt, but that very fact should have alerted her earlier to the fact that she had let herself become dangerously used to having him around. That she had come to depend on him. She didn't want to depend on him. She didn't want to count on anyone again.

Any psychologist would have told her that this need for independence was probably caused from her having been abandoned in the past by those she looked for support…first by her mother when she left; then by Matt; then by her father; and lastly by Michael.

But whatever the reason, she was absolutely determined never to ask for help or support from anyone…ever again.

**

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**

"Matt, will you have a look at that?" Yolei's tone held a thread of disgust. "It's snowing!"

Matt had just come out of the foyer from his office. Yolei was over by the window, a cup of coffee in one hand, her eyes fixed on the street. He joined her & saw fat white flakes floating down from a winter-gray sky.

"Well," he said, "it _is_ November. What did you expect!"

"But it's only the second week; we don't usually get snow this early! And it's heavy, too! I guess…" she turned with a mischievous smile, "you'll be closing the office early so I can get home safely?"

"Yolei," he retorted, "your house is only four blocks away from here. I don't see any problem!" His gaze moved across the street to the Clinic entrance. "No sign of Mimi yet?"

"Uh-uh."

He tapped his fingers impatiently against his thighs. "Her checkups don't generally take this long."

"Maybe the doctor's busy with another patient."

"Maybe. At any rate, I don't want her driving herself home, the roads could be icy. I'm going to go over there & catch her before she leaves. Will you manage?"

"Sure."

Matt grabbed his leather jacket from the coat stand by the door & shrugging it on, he went out & crossed the street to the clinic. Three patients sat in the waiting room; no sign of Mimi. He was about to ask Kari if she already left, when the waiting room door opened & Mimi appeared.

She looked dazed. And when she saw him, she blinked, "Matt?"

"It's snowing," he said. "I'm going to drive you home."

To his surprise, she just nodded. "Is everything all right?" he asked.

"Oh," her eyes had a blank look, "yes, everything's fine. Just hang on till I make my next appointment."

"I'll bring the car to the door." He brought the car around & as he parked it at the curb, Mimi appeared at the clinic door.

He hurried out of the car to take her arm as she crossed the snow-coated sidewalk. Once she was inside, he took his own seat & started off along the street.

"Mimi, what the heck's up? You were looking great this morning, now you look as if somebody dropped a ton of cement on your head."

"Let's wait," she said, till we get home."

He clamped his lips together to keep from pressing her with more questions, but his concern increased with every passing moment. What did she find out in the doctor's office? He could barely wait to find out what it was.

**

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**

"It's a boy, Matt." Mimi's eyes still had a disbelieving look. "Dr. Joe told me that the reason I feel so heavy is because I have a big baby boy growing inside." She slumped back in her kitchen chair & rested her hands on her big mound of belly. "I know I said I wanted the baby's sex to be a surprise, but the doctor slipped. There's nothing more I could do but think about boy names."

Matt's chair had been tilted back; now it clattered forward abruptly. "Sheesh!" He stared back at Mimi. "A boy! He's sure?"

"Absolutely."

"No wonder you're so huge!" Matt grinned.

Mimi looked at him indignantly. "Yamato! You've been telling me for weeks that I look fabulous, that pregnancy suits me, that…"

"You do & it does, but…" he couldn't suppress a chuckle. "Heck, Mimi, you have to admit that you…"

"Gained a little more weight & that I look like the side of a house," she crinkled her nose, "but maybe not for long. While I was in his office, Dr. Joe called the local hospital to let them know I might be coming before my due date."

"So…how do you feel about it?"

"It hasn't really sunk in yet, but how could I not be thrilled?"

"Are you…worried, at all?"

"I'm in good hands with Dr. Joe."

But though she spoke confidently, Matt couldn't help noticing that a shadow clouded her eyes, & he knew that she _was_ worried. He wanted to say to her, "I'm here for you, princess." And he was. He would never let her down again. She could depend on him for love, support, & anything else she needed.

But he knew that she had no faith in him & he knew that she'd rather walk around the world barefoot than ask him for help. So he said nothing.

**

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**

It snowed heavily all night & in the morning a hard frost set in. The roads were hard packed & squeaked under tires; the countryside was a fairyland of sparkling white, glittering in pale hard sun that greedily hugged its heat to itself. It didn't snow again but the cold weather continued.

For Mimi, time now passed slowly. Unable to walk outside because of the icy ground, she felt restless. She waddled along the passages & around the foyer & through the rooms, feeling heavier & more ungainly with each passing day. Besides her frequent need to use the bathroom, she suffered from a constantly nagging backache.

Matt stuffed pillows behind her whenever she sat down. "Chapter Ten," he announced cheerfully. "Page 212."

She also suffered from heartburn. Matt made her drink ice-cold milk after meals & told her to eat little & often. "Chapter Eleven," he told her as he brought her a plate of orange fruit. "Page 225."

She suffered from a throbbing ache between her legs when standing. She didn't mention that to Matt but in any case, he came along with a footstool one afternoon & stuck it under her when she sat down. "Chapter Twelve," he said. "Page 234."

And all the while, the air was filled with lovely music. "Chapter Thirteen, page 240," he explained. "A baby can hear music, it soothes them."

The music soothed her, too…but did nothing to help her sleep at night. The baby was a Sumo wrestler. It made Matt laugh to see her maternity shirt move as fists & feet & knees jutted out. And she had to laugh, too. Though often, unknown to him, she felt like crying. Hormones, she guessed. But she couldn't stop worrying.

**

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**

On the first of December, the weather changed. I grew a little warmer & snow started to melt. By the next day, the roads were clear.

Mimi had a longer than usual nap after lunch, but even so she felt draggy & weary. When Matt came home, he settled her by a roaring log fire in the sitting room & after putting on a soothing music; he brought her a light dinner on a tray, & then carried through his own meal.

Later, after cleaning the dishes, he came back on the sitting room.

"How's the weather doing?" Mimi asked.

"Cold again. Forecast's for a chance of rain through the night."

As he sat down, Mimi noticed he winced & then pressed a hand to his side against his ribs. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"It's nothing." He grasped the arms of his chair & instead of looking directly at her as he usually did when he talked to her; he stared into the fire roaring in the fireplace.

"Do you have a pain in you side?" He seemed not to hear her, or not be listening to her. "Matt?"

He jerked his head up & looked at her. His eyes were shuttered. "It's nothing, just an old injury."

"From the time you…had the fight?"

"Yeah." His tone was dismissive.

She had long wondered who he fought with on that occasion, so she decided she would ask him about it once more time. Tentatively she said, "Why won't you talk about…"

He shot up from his seat. "There are some things," he said harshly, "that a man doesn't want to remember, all right?"

Tears started to form in her eyes & she quickly slanted her head down so he wouldn't see them.

"I'm going out for a walk," he snapped. "I'll be back in an hour."

Mimi nodded, but sat still till she heard the front door slam shut behind him. She breathed out a sigh. Poor Matt. He was worried about her. She knew that that was the only reason he talked to her so roughly. But still, it hurt.

Weary & weepy, she heaved herself from her chair & made her way out to the hall, walking awkwardly because of an uncomfortably heavy downward pressure…it felt almost as if the baby was going to drop out at any moment!

She wrote a note to Matt & left it on the hall table: _Gone To Bed…Sorry I Upset You._

She went upstairs, soaked in a warm bath & got into bed. For a change, she fell asleep right away, & for a change, she was undisturbed by anxious dreams.

**

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**

AN: Mimi's going to have a baby boy. Why choose a boy? Trust me, I wanted it to be a girl, but since Mimi's first baby was a girl, I had to make this one a boy. So I'm trying to come up with a really cool name for the baby, & I need your help. I'm thinking about Nicholas/Nick ('winks' to **Angel**) but I need a second name to come after that. You can write your ideas in your review! Thanks! **TWO** more chapters left!


	21. Chapter 21

Okay, guys, we're almost nearing the end. I hope all of you enjoyed reading this as much I did when I was writing it. And thank you for your support. I never thought my story would be this successful. Thanks again for all your amazing review! Anyway, here's chapter 21. Enjoy!

**PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2** – you have a really nice name. Okay, since you're my #1 fan, I'm going to put you into my next story. You can have a sneak preview on it at the bottom of the chapter. **Janay, Riven** – thanks for the suggestions. **Zionne** – hey, I read your profile last night. You seem pretty interesting, & did you say you're presently living in the Phils? I love Lechon Baboy & Lechon Manok, too! **Koumi** – yeah, and I bet it would taste good, too! Maybe you always do it since you keep on saying it, huh!

_**Chapter Twenty-One**_

When she woke again, it was ten after three. The house was quiet. She didn't need to go to the bathroom...so she wondered what could have disturbed her. But even as she lay there, staring into the darkness, she felt a tight coil of pain clutch the small of her back. And she knew then what had awakened her: _she was in labor_.

She lay there, hardly breathing, as she took in the momentousness of what was happening to her. Then swallowing back the sudden panic that lumped in her throat, she levered herself up to a sitting position & switched on the bedside lamp.

The baby decided to come early into this world. And Dr. Joe had warned her that when he did decide to come early, he would probably come quickly. So she'd better not sit around here shaking & quaking. She'd better get her act together & move! The hospital was only three miles away. Even driving carefully, she would be there within fifteen minutes.

With excitement & anticipation making her giddy, she maneuvered her body off the bed & lumbered around the room, gathering up her clothes & getting herself dressed. Then retrieving her small suitcase from the closet where she stored it after packing her hospital necessities a week before, she tiptoed downstairs & crept outside.

She walked over to the Porsche, thankful that the night was dry…but thankful, too, for her warm wool jacket, which she huddled into to protect herself from the cold wind. As she started up the engine & headed off down the drive, she found herself smiling. And she felt a surge of immense satisfaction.

She was going to have her baby. And she was doing this on her own, she didn't need anyone's help; not Matt's, not anyone else's. Independence, she mused with shamelessly confident smirk, was the name of the game!

She was halfway to the hospital when it started to rain. _Heavy _rain. She switched on the windshield wipers & frowned, confused, when after the first dozen or so swipes, the glass no longer cleared. It was _freezing_ rain.

Rain that coated the windshield with ice, swiftly & with no warning, and it took her completely by surprise. Panicking, she flicked on the windshield washer. No effect. Her panic exploded as she realized she can't see the road.

Heart thudding out of control, she rammed her foot to the brake…a foolish, foolish move for the car went into a wild skid. And at that very moment, a wave of excruciating pain grabbed her around the middle. She cried out…cried out in terror.

And as her scream echoed back in her ears, the Porsche skated over the icy road, & over the verge, to land with a sickening crash against the trunk of a massive tree.

**

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**

Matt might not have heard Mimi's bedroom door open if he hadn't been lying awake, unable to sleep because of his niggling guilt. His nasty little outburst brought tears to her eyes, & it pained him to know he had hurt her.

He wanted to apologize but by the time he returned from his walk, she'd gone to bed. It frustrated him to realize he'd have to wait till morning to say he was sorry. So when he heard her door open, he decided he'd wait till she came back from the bathroom & then he'd go & talk to her, get it off his chest & his conscience.

When she didn't return after ten minutes, he got up to check that she was all right. But the bathroom was empty. Her bedroom door was open & when he checked her room, he found the bed was empty.

Not particularly worried, he went downstairs, expecting to find her in the kitchen, perhaps drinking a glass of warm milk. What he found was a note:

_Have Gone To The Hospital. Baby On His Way._

He stared at it, his mouth hanging open. She'd gone to the hospital? She was in labor…& she's taken it upon herself to get there on her own? He knew she was independent, but this was ridiculous!

Not only was it ridiculous, he reflected as he ran back upstairs, but it was heartbreakingly disappointing. If even at this most traumatic time she was determined to "do it alone," then it was plain she would _never_ seek his help. He should face the reality & accept it. But dammit, he just couldn't; it was too hard!

He'd never dressed faster, & was out of the house within a couple of minutes. Then when he did go out, he almost went flying on his back. To his dismay the ground was like a skating rink. What the heck happened to the warm weather earlier? When he got into the car, he discovered he couldn't see out the windshield because it was blocked with ice.

Freezing rain, that's what happened. But _when_ did it happen? Before or after Mimi had reached the hospital? He quickly scraped the ice off the windshield & tried to keep his apprehension from taking over. But as he jumped into his Honda & drove it gingerly down the driveway, he felt a rush of panic, panic that increased as he turned onto the highway & the car almost went into a tailspin.

Slowing to a snail's pace, he continued on his way, cursing with frustration, aching to accelerate but not daring to; & then, when he had gone about a mile along the deserted country road, he heard from up ahead the sound of a car horn…a continuous blare…as if someone had their hand pressed hard to the horn & was keeping it there.

Was it a cry for help? Breath catching in his throat, he peered desperately through the windshield as he drew closer to the sound; & all the time prayed aloud that Mimi was all right. Then as suddenly as it started, the sound stopped. He drove the car forward, inch by inch, all the while darting his gaze here & there, frantically trying to find the source of the now ominously silent horn.

And when he rounded a bend in the highway his worst fear became reality, for there, up ahead & starkly illuminated by the headlights of the Honda, was the very thing he most dreaded seeing: a car that skidded off the road & smashed, headfirst into a tree. And in his soul he knew, even before he was close enough to recognize it, that the vehicle was a midnight blue Porsche.

**

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**

Mimi fought to survive yet another wave of pain. It had come so fast after the last; it sent her fear spiraling to an even higher level. And when it finally passed, leaving her limp & exhausted, she pulled open her coat & desperately ran her palms over her belly, searching to feel the impatient jut of an elbow or the aggressive thrust of a foot. But nothing happened.

Despair threatened to overwhelm her. Even if she could have managed to get the car door open…which she couldn't…she knew that trying to walk to the hospital would be unthinkable. She'd never make it. She'd lose her balance on the icy road before she could take two steps.

Her only hope was that someone would drive past, hear her horn, see her car…& save her baby. She pressed a hand to the horn again & kept it there, until another wave of pain hit her, making her cry out. She tried to relax & go with the contraction, but it was too much. _Dear God_, she prayed, _please help me._ I should have asked Matt to go with me; I shouldn't have been so independent, if only, if only…

Someone wrenched open her car door. Gasping, she jerked her head around & winced as the white beam of a flashlight dazzled her eyes, blinding her. "Help me," she cried. "Oh, please, help…"

"Damned right I'll help you." Matt's voice was grim but it shook with emotion; & it was the sweetest sound she had ever heard. "Hang in there, sweetheart. I promise you I'll get you to the hospital in time.

**

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**

And he did. But afterward he swore that an angel must have taken over & driven his car over the ice-glazed roads for him, because he had no recollection of anything other than talking quietly to Mimi, trying to reassure her while she struggled to cope with the contractions that were getting closer & closer together.

When finally he saw the lights of the hospital's Emergency Entrance ahead, he said with enormous relief, "We're here, princess. We've made it!"

Her response was a groan so agonized it made him want to cry. But this was not the moment to offer comfort. He stopped under the wide-canopied entrance doors & with a breathless, "Be right back!" ran into the building.

Within thirty seconds he was striding back out again, accompanied by two hurrying attendants with a wheelchair. And from then on in, it was out of his hands. He had done all he could for the woman he loved. Now all he could do was wait…and pray.

**

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**

"You did well, Mimi." Dr. Joe stood at Mimi's bedside & smiled down at her. "You baby is truly beautiful."

"He is, isn't he? And…you said he was healthy?" Mimi asked anxiously.

He laughed. "How often do you have to hear it? He's just great."

"I know…it's just…it's so hard to take it all in." Mimi threaded back her hair & felt it damp with perspiration. But even though the delivery had been the hardest thing she'd ever done, & her body felt as if it had been run through by a truck, her soul was soaring, powered by joy.

She saw the doctor yawn & she said softly, "I'm sorry I had to get you out of bed in the middle of the night!"

"Hey, delivering babies is one of the neatest perks of this job. But I'm going home now…my wife will have my breakfast waiting! Before I go, though…there's a young man outside who's waiting to see you."

"Matt? He's still here?"

"Are you kidding? If I didn't know better, I'd think he was the new dad! He's been standing outside the nursery, looking through the glass at your baby with so much awe & happiness as if the baby was his own!"

Mimi felt her heart give an odd twist as she pictured him looking at the babies. "Thanks to Matt," she murmured, "that my baby & I got here safely. I owe him…everything."

"Why don't you tell him? I want you to rest, Mimi, but he can visit for a couple of minutes."

As the door swung shut behind the doctor, Mimi closed her eyes & se a hand gently on her stomach. It felt flat under the light cover. Amazing. Wonderful. After all those months of being big as an elephant, so ungainly, so…

"Hi."

Her eyes flew open at the sound of Matt's voice. He was standing in the doorway, hesitantly. She noticed that his navy sweatshirt was back to front; he must have dressed in a hurry. And his hair was tousled, his jaw unshaven. "Matt," she whispered. "Hi."

He walked slowly over to the bed. She'd never seen him look so serious, yet at the same time, his eyes were alight with wonder.

"You've seen the baby?" she asked softly.

"Yeah," a grin creased his face, banishing the seriousness. "A beautiful healthy baby boy. What could be nicer?"

"You didn't have to stay, Matt, after all you've done & it's been hours…"

"Where else would I be?" He dragged a chair over & sitting down by the bed, took her hands in his. "Where else would I want to be! Baby, we've been living together for the past months, I've watched that baby grow, I feel…_involved_ with him. As involved as if he were my own. Mimi, he's beautiful. I've never seen a baby so new before, and he's so sweet & tiny." Tears came to his eyes. "It makes me blubber just thinking of him."

Mimi felt her own yes fill up. "Matt, how can I ever thank you for getting me here? How did you know I went out? I tried to be so quiet; I wanted to get here on my own, but…"

"I have never known such an independent woman!"

"I was wrong, Matt. I know that now. I endangered the life of my baby with my stubborn insistence on being independent. I thought I could do everything by myself, but when it came to the crunch, I _did_ need help. I ended up _begging_ for it. And you…instead of saying, 'I told you so!' you couldn't have been kinder." Her voice cracked, but she managed to go on & say what had to be said. "I'm ashamed of myself, Matt, for the way I've been to you since I came back home. Can you ever forgive me? I know it's…"

"I love you, Mimi."

He wasn't even listening to her; she could see that now. His eyes were dark with intensity, fixed on her with an expression that made her giddy.

"Mimi, I've never loved anyone but you. And I never will. I'm a one-woman man, always have been, always will be. If you weren't so exhausted & vulnerable, I would get down on my knees by this bed & ask you to marry me. Besides, the doctor gave me only a minute. But I'll be back later on today. And I'll be asking you that question then. Please try to have the right answer ready."

And then, with a heart-melting smile & a farewell salute, he was gone.

**

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AN: Aw, isn't that lovely? On the last chapter, Mimi will discover Matt's secret. The one about the fight, & she will find out who he fought with. Would she say accept his proposal now that she knows the truth? Stay tuned & find out. One chapter left people! Don't forget to review! (BTW: I'm celebrating my 18th birthday on Saturday! Yay!)

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Here's the NEW story I was telling you about. I'm gonna give you a sneak peak on my next story entitled **Bet Gone Wrong**:

"_You've had a lot of crazy ideas in your time, but this one definitely gets the award."_

_He folded his arms across his chest & waited._

"_I mean, you & me…a couple? Who's gonna believe that?"_

_He sighed. "Mimi…"_

"_And to suggest that we'd ever be able to fool anyone…I mean, there are days we have difficulty just getting on well enough to still like each other as friends!" She started pacing in front of him._

_He sighed again. "If you'd just…"_

"_We'd have to be able to look at each other without sniggering every two minutes. And as for the kissing thing…" She stopped pacing long enough to waggle a finger at him. "You do realize if we were actually dating we'd be expected to kiss &…well, other stuff like that…"_

_There was a deadly silence as they stared at each other in shock. Matt swallowed hard. "I know that…"_


	22. Chapter 22

Here's the last chapter! I decided to put it up early because this is the only way I can think of to show how much I appreciate each & everyone of you. Take it as a present from me…hehe! Anyways, I want to thank you all for being such great & amazing readers, and for supporting my story till the end. You don't know how much this means to me. I never thought that TWP would be such a great success! You're the best and I love you all! As you know, I'm working on this new story, but it won't be up till next week. And I do hope to see you again in **Bet Gone Wrong** (that's the title of my new Mimato fic)...till then, enjoy!

_**Chapter Twenty-Two**_

"You have a visitor waiting," the nurse said as she plumped Mimi's pillows. "Elena Ishida. I've told her she'll have to be patient because visiting hours don't start till two...but she's quite happy, looking at your baby in the nursery."

Mimi was glad her visitor was Elena, & not Matt. Her mind had been in turmoil ever since his promise to propose. She still couldn't decide how to answer him. She loved him, with all her heart. And what he had done for her last night had more than made up for his lack of support eight years ago. But…it still niggled that while she suffered alone through such a heartbreaking loss, he got off scot-free. What if they were to marry, & then one day they fought…as most married couples do!...and what if she were to bring it up & throw it in his face, let him know that the bitterness of it still ate her…

"I haven't seen Elena Ishida in here for years." The nurse popped a thermometer into Mimi's mouth. "Not since the time her son was brought in…her eldest son, I mean. He was so bruised & battered that we has almost unrecognizable…and he was in here for weeks. We all said that whoever beat him up that night should have been thrown in jail, but…Matt would never say who did it."

The door swung open & Elena appeared. She was carrying a pot of cream chrysanthemums. "Two o'clock, nurse," she said. "Okay if I come in now?"

"Sure."

Beaming, Elena walked to the bed & gave Mimi a kiss. "Honey, I'm so thrilled that everything went well. Matt called me first thing in the morning & told me the whole story. The baby is gorgeous," she babbled on happily. "He's absolutely adorable. By the way, Matt went to Crestville…he had some errands to do…but he told me to let you know he'll visit this evening."

The nurse removed the thermometer. "I was just saying to this young lady that I hadn't seen you nor your son in here since the last time he was beaten up." She checked the thermometer reading & gave a satisfied nod. "Never did find out who did it, did they?" She gave Elena an inquisitive glance.

"No," Elena said firmly, "they did not."

"Ah well…" With a vague smile to Mimi, the nurse went out.

"Oh!" Elena rolled her eyes. "That one is such a gossip! Be careful what you say to her or it'll be all over town before you know it!" She walked towards the windowsill & moved things around to find the best spot for her potted plant. "Matt never wanted anyone to find out," she added over her shoulder, "that your father was the one who almost killed him. He knew that if it got out, people might think that there could only be one reason why Max Tachikawa would go after him, & since no one else had been aware of your pregnancy, he wanted to keep it that way to protect your reputation so…"

"My _father_?" Feeling sick with disbelief, Mimi stared at Elena. "My _father_ was the one who…"

"Oh, dear." Elena turned around & her expression was vexed. "You didn't know? You & Matt have been so close, I assumed that by now he would have told you…I mean, you must have asked how he got his nose broken &…"

"I did ask." Mimi tried to cope with what she just learned. "But he wouldn't tell me." She pushed herself up on one elbow & said weakly, "Elena, what happened? Please, I need to know. He was my father & I need to know why he could have done such a terrible thing. Oh, I realize the reason…he must have somehow found out Matt was my baby's father…but Matt could have beaten my father with one hand tied around his back!"

"Matt didn't fight."

Mimi blinked at her. "What?"

"Matt didn't fight."

Mimi stared numbly. "I don't understand…"

"Your father did find out that Matt was the baby's father…he heard Matt had been asking questions in town, asking people if they knew where you were." Elena bit her lip, & then said, "I'm going to tell you what happened because I think you ought to know…although Matt will be angry with me when he finds out." She glanced warily at the door as footsteps passed by, & then lowering her voice, she said, "Do you remember telling me you thought Matt got off scot-free?"

Mimi nodded. "And you…wanted to tell me something, but stopped yourself. Was it…about Matt & my father?"

"Your father came hammering on our door one night. Matt, TK, & I…we all heard him, so we got up, went downstairs together, & looked out the window. And when we saw who it was, Matt said, 'He's looking for me.' He sounded hard & grim. He grabbed me & TK and said, in a voice I never heard him use before: 'What happens out there, I want you to stay inside & do nothing. _Promise me that_.'"

"Did _you_ know why my father was there?"

"Not until after the fight. Mimi, Matt didn't defend himself. Your father…well, you know how big he was, but Matt just stood there…like some sacrifice. And he did nothing but take punches your father gave." Elena brushed a hand over her eyes. "We stayed inside, as he wanted us to, until…after it was all over & your father had gone, leaving Matt alone…& unconscious on the sidewalk."

Mimi realizes tears were pouring down her cheeks, she felt their warm salty taste at the corners of her mouth. She also felt as if her heart was breaking. "He could have knocked-out my father," she whispered.

"I know," Elena said softly. "Honey, I know. But he knew he did something wrong & he wanted to pay the price."

**

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**

Matt never felt so nervous in his life. As he walked along the corridor toward the maternity wing, he clutched the bouquet of pink roses so tightly he felt the thorns stab his flesh. Damn. He loosened his grip. He thought of buying red, for true love, but he knew that pink was Mimi's favorite color.

He also knew that amethysts were her favorite gemstone, so the ring he bought that afternoon in Crestville…before he visited the bookstore in search of the book he wanted!...was an amethyst set in platinum. Now all he had to do was convince her to accept it. He was glad she was in a private room; he didn't want anyone around when he asked the question.

But when he walked into her room he discovered there _was_ a person to be around when he asked the question. One little person, who nestled in the arms of his radiant mom. And Mimi, though she looked pale & her hair was limp & she was wearing only a simple leaf-green hospital gown, was to him the most beautiful sight in the world.

He cleared his throat. "I brought you some flowers," he said. "Where do they go?"

"You'll find a vase over there." She pointed to a glass vase by the sink. "They're lovely, Matt. Thank you."

He placed the roses into the vase with some water & set it on the windowsill next to the pot of cream chrysanthemums his mother gave earlier.

"Pull over a chair," Mimi said, "and come say 'Hi' to my little angel."

He was sound asleep. As he sat down, all he could see from him was a pink face, a dainty nose, & wisps of hair a shade or two lighter than his mother's. Matt leaned over & brushed a kiss over his smooth brow. He smelled milky sweet. The baby stuck a fist into his mouth & started to chew it.

Matt stared at him happily for a long time. And then he turned his attention to Mimi. "How are you feeling?" he asked. "Is everything okay?"

"I feel wonderful," she said. "Just great! It's such a huge relief to have it all over safely, to have such a perfect little baby!"

"Have you decided what you're going to call him?"

Her eyes were dreamy. "At first I decided to name him after the man who'll be helping me bring him up, but I have to ask him first how he'd feel about that, & if he doesn't agree, think I'm going to call him Shinori Nicholas. I like combining Japanese & American names, and we can either call him Shin or Nick. Is that okay with you? If not, I'm open for any suggestions." She said gaily.

Matt blinked. This man was going to _help_ her bring up her baby? But Mimi Tachikawa…the new Mimi Tachikawa, the one who came from New York with the light of battle in her eyes…intended to bring up her child alone. She made that quite clear. Unless…

He tried to fight a growing feeling of apprehension. "Have you…you haven't been in touch with…that guy in New York…have you?"

She made a totting sound, & with lips twitching, looked down at her sleeping baby. She kissed him before saying, in a soft voice, "You don't _really_ want this man to be your dad, do you? He seems awfully thick…and that maybe all right in a father, but not in a husband…well, the way I see it, intelligence should be right up there as a non-negotiable quality, along with a sense of humor, a sense of responsibility, a…"

"Mimi Tachikawa." Matt could hardly speak for sheer happiness was soaring inside him. "You're talking about _me?_ Does that mean…is this a _yes_?"

She kept him in suspense for a full ten seconds. And then she nodded, her eyes were shining.

He was speechless for a few moments, he was so happy. When he finally got his act together, he said gruffly, "You're bold as brass, woman! You might at least have the decency to wait till you were asked!"

He went down on his knees. "Mimi, my dearest precious Mimi, I love you with all my heart, now & forever more, so will you please put me out of my misery & marry me!"

"My answer," she said primly, "is exactly the same as it was a moment ago!"

"And that's your final answer?"

Laughter bubbled from her; music to his ears. He kissed her then, & she returned the kiss with such passion that if she wasn't holding little Nick, he'd have climbed right into bed with her. Instead he brought out the ring & slipped it on her finger.

"Oh, Matt," She hazed at it mistily. "It's perfect."

They kissed again, slowly this time, with the promise of thousands of tomorrows shimmering ahead.

After a while, Matt said, "Mimi, about the house…"

Her eyes told him that ownership of her former home was something that no longer needed to be discussed. Laurel House wasn't going to be his; it wasn't going to be hers; but it was going to be theirs. "Why did you buy it, Matt? I know it had to be something more than just the wonderful view…"

"Yeah," he said. "It was something more. I didn't admit it myself at the time, but I know now that in my heart, I dreamed that one day you'd come back home again. I dreamed that the past would be forgiven & forgotten and…we'd be together again."

Mimi framed his rugged face with her hands, & gently kissed him. "Your mother," she whispered, "told me how you received your scars, Matt. I'm so sorry."

His breath caught sharply, & then he felt the quick tension ease. It was just as well Mimi knew; he didn't want to keep any more secrets from her…ever. "Don't be, my princess, it's over…the past is over."

Tears sparkled like silver sequins in her beautiful eyes. "Yes," she agreed huskily. "It is finally over. Now you have me, our baby, & our house."

"Yes, I now have the whole package. And the future is right here, in your arms."

As if the baby sensed he was being talked about, he stirred & looked up hazily at his mom.

"Look, Matt," Mimi said excitedly. "He's smiling!"

"Uh-uh," he shook his head. "It's just wind."

"Really?" she stared at him, surprised. "How do you know?"

He took her left hand & ran a fingertip lovingly over the amethyst engagement ring that proclaimed her as his own. "Chapter One," he explained grinning, "page 17, the _Handy Hardback Guide For Brand-New Parents._"

**..: The End :..**

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AN: To all my readers, thank you so much! I'm very grateful to all of you, especially my loyal fans (you know who you are.) Hopefully I'll be seeing all of you again in my next story: **Bet Gone Wrong**, coming up next week! I love you all! – Paola :)

**Angelic Eyes** – you was the one who gave my first review! Thanks! **Koumi** – even though we don't agree on many things, I still wanna thank you. **Angel** – you're so great! I can't wait to see my special cheer! Remember when you asked me to name the baby Nick? **A Fire Inside** – thanks for all the advice. When are you gonna update? **MaRoNcOoL** – thanks for everything! **Janay & Riven** – you guys have been so great! You've been a consistent reader & reviewer, thank you! **Jack-e, Hippie Pot Smoker, beth, Queen of the Sugarplum Fairies, bitten back, K14princess-ROCK, Mimato Fan, EUR3K4, Gabumon 700, Xichiathik, Arte-chan, Amelia-Black, xObUNni, Lysia Croft, Mrs. Ishida-to-you, Veronica, ghikiJ, Zionne** – thank you all so much! I hope to see you all in my next story. **PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2** – to my #1 fan, you don't know how much you're wonderful reviews have inspired me. You're the best & I wanna say, from the bottom of my heart, how grateful I am to have you here. Thank you, Rachelle! Love ya!

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"**Bet Gone Wrong"**

"_You've had a lot of crazy ideas in your time, but this one definitely gets the award."_

_He folded his arms across his chest & waited._

"_I mean, you & me…a couple? Who's gonna believe that?"_

_He sighed. "Mimi…"_

"_And to suggest that we'd ever be able to fool anyone…I mean, there are days we have difficulty just getting on well enough to still like each other as friends!" She started pacing in front of him._

_He sighed again. "If you'd just…"_

"_We'd have to be able to look at each other without sniggering every two minutes. And as for the kissing thing…" She stopped pacing long enough to waggle a finger at him. "You do realize if we were actually dating we'd be expected to kiss &…well, other stuff like that…"_

_There was a deadly silence as they stared at each other in shock. Matt swallowed hard. "I know that…"_


End file.
